Cold Was The Night
by the-voiceless
Summary: Evey deserved a normal life, Prom, college, and dreams. Instead she is sent back 325 years into the past and lives the double life of girl living in Salem. Witches? Trials? Exorcisms? It's every girls worst nightmare! What's worse? Father Increase Mathers won't let the feeling of suspicion and doubt leave his mind of this girl and the undeniable attraction he feels when she's near
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"You can't be serious," I crossed my arms over my chest.

"It won't be for long," Tina smiled, carrying the bowl of chocolate across the kitchen. "It's only for tonight."

"Whose idea?"

"Mom," she shrugged her shoulders. "She believes in rites of passage. Special occasions can't be ignored. Blah, blah, blah and everyone will throw a parade."

I picked up a pink candle and looked at the colorful banner on the wall. **Happy 16th Birthday Evey** in colorful letters sprinkled with sparkles. Red and gold balloons were in all 4 corners of the room with white ribbons streaming from the stems. It was beautiful.

"It's sweet." I smile holding back a smile. "Where is she?"

"With dad outside picking a pumpkin," she nodded toward the window, pouring the chocolate into a bake pan, rippling over evenly until the square was complete. She licked her finger," So what's it like being an old whore?"

"Shut up," I laughed licking the chocolate off the edge of the bowl. "It's not the end of the world. Being 16 is gonna kick ass."

"Sooo," Tina hummed biting her lip smiling. "Is the birthday girl gonna get a present from Jake?" She poked her tongue against the inside of her cheek and moved her hand back and forth from her lips, winking.

"It's not like that!" I slapped her hand away. "He's coming over tonight, through my window, you gotta promise me you won't tell mom. She'll have a cow sideways."

She put the bake pan inside the oven, shut it, and looked at me.

"Are you guys gonna… _do it_?"

I bit my lip, going through the memory of him and me sitting at the willow tree making a promise sealed with a kiss. He was a virgin, too. So I didn't have to feel any shame for being a virgin too when we would—

"I don't know," was the only answer I could give.

Tina smiled, shoulder pushing me, and giving me a hug while planting something in my hand. It was at that moment when mom and dad walked in with the biggest and brightest pumpkin that I've ever seen. Dad gazed at mom before slipping out a large steak knife from his hand holding her gaze and turning to us.

"Girls," he smiled.

"Hey dad," we replied, sitting at the table. "Thanks for the party."

"Anything the princess wants," he kissed my temple, holding my shoulder with the knife in his other hand. "It is the highest honor with the household that you carve the first pumpkin. Go on. Take it."

The large blade was presented in my hand. Looking at my mom, she smiled nodding her head, and stood close to dad. I looked at the pumpkin and stabbed the head firmly feeling the shell wobble and crack under my pressure until the entire stem was gone. The smell of the seeds within came first. My mother couldn't have been more proud in that moment, and for some odd reason, held a steady gaze with my father until Tina presented me with my first birthday gift. It was a gift card to Starbucks and a photo frame of both of us when we went to California for a vacation alongside the beach 2 years ago. I smiled and thanked her for the gift, sneaking a quick glance at the object she put in my palm. It was a condom. How typical of my bigger sister to encourage safety on my special day and on the day of Halloween. Tina pulled me in for a hug while mom and dad stepped out of the room carrying the steak knife.

Later in the evening, the trick-or-treaters knocked on our door wearing their adorable costumes with plastic pumpkin baskets. Small and large they came to our door and they stopped coming soon after 11pm. Tina and I were in our dressing rooms fixing our makeup when mom came to our door with a flashlight and two cans of pepper spray.

"Hey babies, you two have a curfew at 2am tonight and don't forget to stay in a group. Use girl-code and look out for each other."

"We'll be okay, it's just a party," Tina mumbled holding a comb in her mouth spraying mousse in her hair. "We'll be okay."

"But just in case," she gave us the pepper spray. "You never know when a werewolf, vampire, Frankenstein is gonna come alone and ask you if you have a _rough tongue_."

"Ew!" Tina cringed. "Why would they ask that?"

"You're a cat aren't you?"

"No! I'm a lemur! The most intelligent and adorable creature of Madagascar!"

"Oh," mom mused, smiling," And you! Evey, you never know when a boy dressed as a mustard bottle is gonna come along either."

"Mustard?"

She looked at my outfit, "You're dressed as a ketchup bottle aren't you?"

"No, I'm little red riding hood! I got the hood and boots and basket. Duh!"

"All I'm saying is that I want you to be safe. From the ghouls, goblins, lions, tigers, bears—"

"Oh, my—"

"-werewolves, elves, trolls, firemen, cowboys, 1920's gangsters, spacemen, pirates, cavemen, twerkers, and monsters of the night. Did you know that they're inventing new date rape drugs? I read it on this online article published by a housewife who lives in Florida and she said-"

"Mom, we'll be ok."

"We'll be ok, we promise."

"Okay, okay I'll stop talking," mom followed us to the front door. "But use your flashlights! Tina do you have your coat? Remember to stay together even when going to the restroom! Keep your cellphones close! Never put your cup down! I put hand sanitizer in your pocket! Make good choices! Okay, I love you! Be safe!"

By the time she stopped talking we were already in the car waving from the windows and headed towards the party at Jake's house. Our house disappeared as we turned around the corner. I rolled my gloves back and looked at Tina, in her fur boots and scarf, and thought about today. Taking out the condom from my pocket, I gazed upon the plastic circle.

"It'll be great," she suddenly said, as she came to a stop at the red light at an intersection. "Jake is a nice guy and everyone knows that he likes you. You like him right?"

I frowned," I'm just afraid it's going to hurt."

"You didn't answer my question. Do you like Jake?"

The light turned green and the car accelerated forward. I looked at the ring he won for me at the carnival, the mood ring, and I remembered it was the first time he called me his girl. Jake was the only boy in school that didn't treat me like I was in the shadow of my sister, the eldest, who was great at everything. Even looking at her now, she was too beautiful for any boy to resist in the school. Lemur or not she had the wild ambition of a sexual prowling tiger. I may not have been captain of the varsity volleyball team, captain of the debate team, straight A student, president of student council, or the prettiest girl in the school. But he never treated me second rate. And that's what made him special.

"I…I do, yea, he's been sweet to me. And we've been together for 4 months and he told me he would make it special. I believe him..."

"First of all, you hesitated. Second of all, there's nothing creepier than losing your virginity on Halloween at a party upstairs with a guy you met at a Cupcake fundraiser at the school football field… And third of all, you make damn sure that he treats you with some fucking respect!" she raised a brow looking at me. "Don't let him treat you like Donny treated me. They're all fucking dogs."

I remembered Donny.

I also remembered the bruises he would leave on her and all the phone calls and the police cars outside our house.

"He always treats me with respect, he's sweet and he's considerate and generous."

And not to mention nothing like Donny, nothing like him at all. Jake knew what kind of boy he was and disgusted by him, more than I was.

She waved her finger at me, "Well, birthday girl, you do what you want to do. Today is your day, not Jake's, and if you don't want to bone him then that's completely up to you. I just …don't want you having any regrets tonight, especially on your birthday."

We turned around the corner and approached Jake's house. It was the only house with the lights still on and cars parked alongside the curbs. We could hear the music boom. My hands rubbed together thinking of what Tina just said to me and fingering the plastic wrap of the condom in my hand. Jake was in that house and soon I would be, too. But would I leave a different girl than when I entered? Sucking in my breath, I pulled my hood over my head. We exited the car and walked down the sidewalk before I turned to my sister.

"Thanks, T…" I mumbled, looking at the mood ring on my finger. "But I'm not sure if I've changed my mind or not. I don't know, but I do know that it's still my birthday and it's Halloween. So anything can happen. But if something happens then you're definitely be the first to know about it."

"Trick-or-treat!" Tina smiled, skipping towards the house. "Come on! You're only 16 once!"

I followed her inside the house. Immediately it's almost as if we entered a club. So many people in masks, devil horns, cleavers, pig masks, ghosts, ghouls, animals, cartoon characters, and so much more were huddled together in a drunken and wild group dancing in strobe lights with fog machines. Shoulder to shoulder I was bumped like a hockey puck across the room until I was finally free to roam in the kitchen distracting myself by getting a cup of punch. Tina was at the pool table talking to Cindy and Rebecca and Rachael dressed in matching Vegas Girl dresses, glamorous and beautiful.

"Well, I'll huff and I'll puff… and I'll tear that dress right off of you and eat you alive," came a voice from behind me.

Chad, gazed at my dress and at my black bodice and red cloak, snatching the string. I slapped his hand away.

"I'd rather kiss a rat than a toad." I smile looking at his green outfit.

"Sticks and stones, baby," he smiled, grabbing my red cup and taking my red punch. "And where is your sister?"

"With her squad and where is your merry band of men?"

"Outside watching a group of sexy mermaids make out with each other," he smiled getting me another cup of red punch and handing it to me. "I'm looking for Nicki, do you know where she is?"

Chad and Nicki were on and off, on and off, on and off until Mike came into the picture and Nicki left him for the star football player in a drop of a hat. Chad had been scorned by her ever since and there's not a moment or chance he won't take to get back at her. Poor guy, he deserved much better than what he was given.

"She wasn't coming tonight. Sick with the flu."

"Oh, is that what she said? What a lying bitch," he rolled his eyes, dunking his cup into the sink and stalking over to the island bar.

I followed him and narrowed my eyes," What did she tell you?"

"She told me that she was coming tonight because she heard your boy, Jake and Mike were going to be here. I'd keep an eye out for you little boy toy," He chuckled shaking his head, looking towards the backyard. "I don't know what she's playing at. Whatever the fuck her little game is."

There was a possibility it could be true. Either Chad was spilling his usual bullshit, Jake was feeding me bullshit, or Nicki was full or bullshit. I bit my lip remembering Tina would tell me about her and their history together. Friends in sophomore year and enemies the next, close enemies, sworn to fight till the death. Chad stepped close to me, closer than he had before.

"If you wanna find your big bad wolf I suggest you try the Beer Pong table in the garage, you'll find your boy toy. But you're not gonna be happy when you see him..."

I pushed him away dropping his red punch," Thanks for the tip."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Jake was with definitely with Nicki and Nicki seemed to forget all about Mike. They're lingering out back behind the garage close to the forest and Nicki doesn't seem to be happy about something. She pushes his shoulder and points to the woods raising her voice almost to the point where I can almost hear her over the booming loud music coming from within the house. Jake stands there and glances over his shoulder to the woods, shaking his head, and they both walk in. A cold rock seems to rattle within my head as I think of the worst. Glancing over my shoulder nobody seems to notice two teens disappearing in the woods. And they don't notice me disappear either.

Jake's house isn't far from Salem Harbor so that must be where they're headed. Leaves crunch beneath my feet as I step further into the woods until I come to a trail headed in their direction. It's so dark I take my phone out and turn on my flashlight. I squint my eyes as I see the 5 foot tall sign warning hikers of wild animals with wild grass and dandelions growing from the bottom. I hear something snap from the distance. Shit, I hurry to follow and just when I'm sure I lost them I hear Nicki scream for Jake. A panic shoots through my body and I run. The trail becomes too thin to see overlapping with patches of grass and roots and tree branches that it's not a trail anymore. I follow the sound of her screams until the smell of salt water fills my nostrils and we're close to the water. I slip under a low hanging branch until I see something moving in the darkness and just when I thought it was an animal, I hear her screaming.

"Jake! Jake!" she screams from over the small hill, getting louder and louder. "Jake! Jake!"

My heart races when I see Nicki standing in the middle of a large meadow, which wasn't a meadow, but a large circle with rocks and a single tree in the middle. The air smelled horrible as if there was a dead animal nearby that was invisible. I stepped closer to her immediately feeling a strange and thick feeling swelling all around me as soon as my foot touched the circle. She was crying hysterically and pacing around in circles looking everywhere and she froze when she saw me.

"Nicki?"

"E? Is that you?" she stumbled forward, her eyeliner running down her cheeks. "I-I-I was just…"

I looked around the circle," What the hell is this place? Where's Jake?"

"We were just—and then he—"

I tore my gaze from her and looked at the tree," What happened!?"

"It wasn't my fault! I just wanted to see!" Nicki sobbed looking around leaning on my shoulder. "I didn't mean to! I didn't!"

A tune rang in my ear so small and so loud it was giving me a headache almost to the point where my eyes closed and my head felt like it was going to explode. I opened my eyes to see Nicki sobbing on the ground shoving the stones away and shouting for Jake in a wild panic. The tune returned with a fierce vengeance this time shooting a pain through my entire body making my hands tremble and clasp around my head.

"Nicki! We have to go!" I yelped, holding my head, pulling her up and leaving the circle. "We have to go and call the police."

"They won't believe me!" she sobbed, clutching on my arm as we went through the woods. "They won't believe me! Nobody will believe me!"

"We have to go, come on. I have to call Tina. She'll know what to do," I gasped, breathing, relieved the pain was gone and the ringing tune had stopped.

The music of the party could be heard as we ran further and further through the trees and into the backyard of Jake's house until we were standing behind the garage. Nicki tore off her gloves and her necklaces to the ground before walking back to the party. I followed her and she went to the first person she saw. Mike, dressed as a police officer with an orange plastic gun on his hip, roared in victory at a game of darts. Nicki slammed into his body with a tight hug and he buddies cooed and cat-called the desperate girl that cried onto his shoulder. She told him she needed to get out of here, leave the party as soon as possible, earning more cat-calls from his buddies and suggesting they _go upstairs_. Instead Mike took Nicki outside to his car where I followed. Nicki sat on the passenger side and Mike consulted.

"Mike," I stepped forward.

He looked at me," What the hell happened!? She's freaking out! What did you guys do out there?"

"Nothing! I just found her out there."

"What was she doing?"

"She and Jake left to the party and—"

Mike rolled his eyes," Jake!? That fucker left with _my_ girlfriend and, psch! Can't believe this!"

"Mike, she needs help! Jake's missing and she doesn't know what happened."

"Well he better be gone before he sees me!" he paced, giving Nicki a dirt look.

"I'm going to get Tina," I take two deep breaths; my lungs feeling the fire grow within.

The house is becoming louder and darker with so many teens drinking, playing pool, playing darts, beer pong, stripping naked in the pool. I push pass the smell of weed and the naked boys with horse masks kicking a soccer ball in the living room. I shove past everyone until I see Rebecca sitting at the pool wearing a green and purple bikini with a red wig.

"Becca!" I shout over the loud music. "Where's Tina!?"

"What!?"

"Where's Tina!?"

"She's upstairs!" she pointed to the window, implying of her Halloween plans. "With Todd!"

I swallow trying to keep my nerves from showing on my face. Becca sees the reaction on my face and shrugs her shoulder winking at me. I nod at her, turning on my heel walking past through a couple of guys wearing skull masks. The music pounds me and glance around the room. It's smoky and dark; bodies crowd me, bumping someone's shoulder or back. The floor is sticky and littered with chips and beer bottles. I weave through going up the stairs until I see a hallway with a door on the end of the hallway and I knock.

"Tina! Tina! Something happened!" I shout banging on the door. "Tina! I need your help!"

I push the door open and see Tina straddling the broad hips of Rick in her lemur outfit rocking against his roman empire soldier uniform. My cheeks burn with embarrassment and I blink trying to think of what to do. She looks back at me, stops, and grabs a pillow against her chest.

"What the fuck, E! Get the fuck out of here!"

Rick sees me but doesn't stop rocking against Tina. My mind scrambles for an answer but I can't think of one.

"Shut the door, bitch!"

She slides off of him and grabs her shirt," You better not fucking tell mom!"

"Two the price of one?" Rick smiles earning him a shove from her.

"Tina…" I breathe, and she pushes me out into the hallway and into the bathroom. "I, um…"

She shoves me to sit on the edge of the tub as she fixes her hair in the mirror wiping her mascara from her eyelids and fixes her red lipstick.

"What the fuck are you thinking? Do you want to ruin my night!?" she yelled at me.

It takes me a moment to regain my breath," Something happened. Jake's gone and Nicki doesn't know where he is. She's outside right now."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Something happened! Something bad."

She scoffs," Oh, what a surprise! Nicki is a bitch and Mike isn't a pussy, what a big fucking surprise. I thought you were going to bone Jake tonight. Or did you chicken out? Or did he chicken out?"

"T, that's not the point! He's missing and Nicki is just really scared. Please, can you come? I don't know what to do. Mike has her at his car and she's not making any sense."

"What are you talking about?"

I stood up," I'm saying something happened to Jake and Nicki isn't talking and I think something really bad happened out there."

"Like what?"

"Like," I paused trying to remember what I had seen. "Like there was this circle and the rocks with a tree and she was there and I saw Jake go with her but he wasn't there. I saw them go in together."

"Just calm down, don't you think they've been drinking too much? Or maybe Nicki is just playing a little prank? She's probably doing this to get his attention and make you jealous. She's a bitch and you can't keep a good bitch down."

"No, you weren't there. You should've seen her. But the circle looked like…a star, or something. A-A-And I know Jake, he's not like Mike or Donny, and he wouldn't go with her into the woods unless he had to. He was supposed to meet me and he wouldn't leave me and-"

"Just stop! You're talking like a crazy person!" she pushed me out of the bathroom leaving me out of the hallway while she stood in the doorframe of the bedroom. "Look, just go downstairs and enjoy yourself ok? We'll be leaving soon and I'm still not done having my party. And you better not tell mom about any of this!"

"Tina!"

I put my foot in the door," Tina please, you have to listen to me."

"Stop talking like a fucking psycho! It's not attractive or cute! Do yourself a favor and just disappear! You're good at being invisible!"

She slammed the door in my face before I caught a glimpse of Rick smiling at me from the bed.

"Tina!" I pounded on the door. "Fuck."

I went back downstairs and to the front car lot where Mike ran up to me shaking my shoulders.

"She's crazy! She's crazy, we have to call the police!" Mike pushed me toward the house joining the party, opened the door and we went down into the basement. The sound was muffled as soon as he shut the door and we descended the stairs and I watched Mike sit on the couch cushions as he clutched his head in his hands. He never told me what was going on.

"S-She was s-saying a lot of s-shit after you left, and I didn't understand until s-s-she started hitting her head against the…fucking… window. S-She fucking smashed her head on the glass until it broke! I watched her!"

I gasped in horror as I saw his shoulder bleeding and I grabbed a curtain from a box. I pushed against his shoulder feeling the wet crimson blood seep through and touch my fingers making me gag, the nausea becoming stronger.

"She grabbed the glass and fucking cut me!" he tore away his Halloween costume and showed me the gash. "She fucking cut me! You gotta call the police."

"Where is she?"

"S-She ran off! Fucking took off into the woods," Mike took out his cellphone. "That crazy bitch is off the fucking wagon!"

His blood dripped from my fingertips but luckily the gash didn't look too deep to cause any real danger to his life. My legs turned into marshmallows when a thought came to my head. I sniffed and realized that tears were threatening to fall from my eyes as soon as I realized what Nicki was capable of. If she did this to Mike then…

"Did she say anything about Jake?" I whispered, barely able to take my eyes off the blood.

He looked at me breathing heavily, his eyes widen and he scans the basement room, and his whole body tenses as if he's expecting to see Nicki jump out of the walls. His eyes seem to replay the incident over and over and over.

"S-She just said something about…. a fucking… demon…" he breathed heavily, tossing his head back. I can't stop looking at the blood as it seeps from his shoulder, more and more coming out. It never seemed to end. "About some demon shit."

"Demon?"

"I don't know! She must've been sniffing her own nail polish or something! She just ran off into the woods and—and—my fucking cellphone isn't working! What the hell is going on" he yelled at the top of his lungs and smacked it against the floor, kicking a box. He stood up reaching for the sink looking into the mirror uncovering his gash and turning on the water. The red water spiraled down the drain and he clutched on the sink. "Fucked up shit is goin on here!"

Finally tearing my gaze away from the blood, I checked my cellphone too. The battery was dead when I was sure I charged it before I left. Suddenly in a blink of an eye, the lights to the basement and to the entire house shut off. The music stopped and the strobe lights stopped moving earning a groan from everyone upstairs. I gasped and could hear the power grid moan as it shut everything down. I suck in a deep breathe and think of something. That's when I think of mom and take out her flashlight, but that's not working either. Mike fumbles around in the dark and finds a box of matches and lights one. He grabs a candle and I come close to him. We look up at the ceiling listening.

"I think we have to go."

"I need to find Tina first," I whispered looking at the small flame. "We need to go home."

He opened the door to the hallway and we walked into the living room. It was still dark and foggy with few remaining people running around. A few were sleeping on the couch and slumped on the floor, drunk and happily oblivious. The floor was sticky and popcorn and chips were everywhere. It's not as crowded as it was before, and that could be a bad thing or a good thing. A power outage is a party killer. But suddenly the word repeats in my head. Killer. I turn to Mike and I want to tell him- but Chad rushes to us.

"There's no power to shit! Cellphones, landlines, hell even my car won't start."

"Dude," Mike stuttered looking at his wrist. "My watch isn't even working."

"It's gonna be a fucking long night."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

"What the hell are we gonna do? I can't get an Uber out here without my cellphone."

"Everyone's gone, dude. Everyone's walking home. This party is fuckin' over," Chad shook his head pouring himself another drink. He handed me one and I could use some alcohol. "Well, Happy Halloween everyone!"

" _Happy_ Halloween my ass!" Mike grunted leaning on the island bar. The bleeding stopped luckily and he had enough alcohol in his system to numb the pain. "Has anyone got any signal?"

"My phone's dead."

"Mine's dead, too."

"Fuck!" he yelled, making us jump, pounding his fist on the bar. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

"It could be worse!"

"What could make it worse!? Name anything!" he lifted his arms above his head, challenging him.

"Panicking isn't helping!"

They've been doing this for the past 5 minutes and it wasn't helping anyone. My cellphone was dead, the landline was dead, and the vehicles outside the house and all around the neighborhood block was dead. The remaining party-goers were walking home in a drunken stupor, collapsing on the lawn of other houses. The neighbors were walking out of their houses and tried to contact help. Everyone cleared out of the living room and into the front yard throwing toilet paper into the bushes while others were walking home on this Halloween night. Chad found some candles that were useful and I was checking the ends of my hair for split ends, feeling nervous and scared.

"What could be worse than being stuck alone at this house!?" he yelled again, shoving him.

"A murderer on the loose," I barely whispered.

They both looked at me and I wish I didn't say anything. Their gaze felt like a brick wall had crumbled on top of me.

Chad put down his drink, "What did you say?"

My bottom lip trembled wishing I could take back what I said.

"There could be a murderer on the loose," I repeated watching their faces change and react to my lethal suggestion. "That could be worse."

"What do you mean?"

"Is there something you're not telling us?"

There was a dangerous line that was about to be crossed and my accusation would never be forgiven if I was wrong. I couldn't take any chances. No one could. But my logical reason was to figure out the truth about what happened to Jake and what happened to Nicki and why she did what she did to Mike. My fingers gripped the bottle in my hands, trembling, trying to find a loophole. But none came to mind.

"I think… Nicki's in trouble," I barely spoke above a whisper. "Jake went with her into the woods and he didn't come back out, he's missing and I couldn't find him. Then suddenly we come back to the party and she stabs Mike and then she disappears. The whole block is in pitch black. Do you see a connection? Does any of this sound a little too strange?"

Chad tensed, "You think Nicki did something to Jake?"

"The crazy bitch was crazy enough to stab me then I think she's crazy enough to do anything."

I sighed, shaking my head looking out the window," I don't know what Nicki did or didn't do. All I know is that she was the last person to see Jake…"

"E, you're accusing Nicki of murder?"

I shuddered, rolling the feeling off my back," No! I never said murder! Nobody said anything about murder! Jake's just… _disappeared_."

Tears were brimmed and threatening to fall thinking about what happened in the dark woods. Tonight wasn't supposed to be like this. This night wasn't supposed to be this way, especially when you turn 16. Mike took out another bottle from the fridge popping the lid off the edge of the counter top. Chad crossed his arms over his chest looking out into the dark windows leading into the forest, rubbing a thumb under his chin.

"I have to find Tina," I whisper, quickly excusing myself from the island and walked upstairs.

My tears were allowed to fall once I was out of their sight walking up the stairs and I stopped in the hallway to wipe my eyes. Be tough. Nobody wants a sobbing mess on a night like this. Sniffing, I went to the end of the hallway and knocked on the door.

"Tina, can I come in?" I knocked listening for her voice. "Tina something happened and I need to tell you."

I heard something thump on the floor. "Open up!" I yell.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, fuck." She yells stomping to the door. "Get lost!"

"Tina, we have a problem."

"Oh god you didn't tell mom did you?" she twisted her bra around fighting to get a shirt on.

"No, mom doesn't know anything. Just come down stairs."

"Is Todd down there?" she whispered following me down the hall, fixing the rings on her fingers. "E, you weren't supposed to see us. And I'm sorry for that. Please, you have to promise me you won't tell him."

 _Tell him what? That you're cheating on him with Rick_?

I rolled my eyes, "I won't, you just have to come downstairs with me and help me find Nicki and Josh. The power's out and the car won't start. Mike and Chad are here and we're all stuck here and my cellphone won't work."

"What!? How are we supposed to get home? I can't walk in these heels."

I turned to her, "Didn't you hear me? Nicki and Josh are missing!"

"And haven't you ever thought that maybe they're boning out in the woods as we speak? You know that Nicki will do anything to make you jealous ever since last summer."

We walked into the kitchen and Chad seemed to be anxious and restless sitting at the island bar looking out into the woods with a candle. Mike seemed to nod off like he was falling asleep which seemed appropriate considering he felt marooned from all of us physically and mentally. I came to him and gave him a cup of water.

"What happened?" she froze when she saw Mike's shoulder covered in dry blood. "I don't think _that's_ part of your costume."

He flipped her off, "Power's out and oh yea, Nicki stabbed me."

"What!?" she gasped covering her mouth. "Should we call the police?"

"Didn't you hear him? The power's out. We're stuck here since our cars don't work either."

"Well—" she tried to think of a reply, but her face deadpanned. "Someone will come for us right? I mean… they have to."

Chad burped wiping his mouth," Well go right ahead, princess. Send us a tweet about your journey across town and god forbid you don't get stabbed while you're out there. Or kidnapped by some rogue homeless psycho," He pointed out the window holding a beer bottle, shaking his head. "Because if you do go; you might not come back."

Tina huffed at his comment, "So what are we supposed to do?"

"Wait, until morning and Halloween will be over," I said lighting another candle carefully transitioning the flame. "This night will be over."

Tina finally woke up to reality. She tried to control her stifled breathing and looked out the window, making sure the latches were locked. Maybe this was the paranoia setting in because she and Chad started to go around the house locking every door and locking every window. Every few minutes they would circle across the living room, their mouths biting their nails. I might've guessed it was coming close to midnight. We were all quiet, listening to the sounds of the woods as if we were waiting for something to come out screaming. Chad flips his fear into relief when he takes a bong in one hand and a lighter in the other sitting on the couch. Tina takes her heels then pushes a door open and I follow quietly. She motions for me to keep quiet as we start down the stairs to sit on the edge of the basement steps. The wind rustles the leaves in the trees and coaxes goosebumps along my skin as if something is beckoning me to go back into the woods. She takes out a small box. Cigarettes. She told me that she quit 2 months ago!

"So, what a night huh?"

"It could've gone better," I tease, motioning to Mike over my shoulder. "At least for some people…"

"Yea, no kiddin'… " Tina flicks the lighter with her thumb, trembling and trying to hide her fear. Or she was just as cold as I am; she tries her best to hide it. "This is so fucked…"

"Which part?"

"All of it!" she inhales, the tobacco burning orange. She exhales slowly," It's all fucked."

"We'll be safe until tomorrow morning then we can go home. Mom's gonna a cow sideways but at least we'll be alive when all of this is over."

" _Alive_ ," she murmurs, allowing the word to smoothly roll off her tongue. "What the hell were you doing out there anyway?"

She's at my side now, looking at me holding a cigarette to her lips.

I sighed, "I thought …that Jake and her were going to…"

There's no way I can bring myself to look at her, there's no hiding my shame and embarrassment. I stop myself before I go on and wait for her response drumming my fingers.

She flicks the cigarette away, "But that doesn't mean you should go out there! Do you know what could've happened to you!?"

I nod woodenly," I was just following Jake, not Nicki."

"Are you sure Nicki stabbed Mike?"

That was a quick change of subject.

"Yes," I pause looking back at her. "Yea, Nicki stabbed Mike."

She glared at the floor, her fingers twitching, and she looked at me," Who said that? Did you _see_ Nicki do it? With your own two eyes, did you see Nicki attack him?"

 _What was she implying_?

"No…" I murmur, "What do you mean?"

We both stood up and this time she's whispering, holding a finger to my lips and glancing at the basement door up ahead," You didn't see Nicki stab Mike, so that means that Mike is just telling a story."

It takes me a moment for my mind to wrap around her accusation.

"You think Mike did something?"

"Think about it. You told Mike that you saw them go into the woods together. Was Mike jealous?"

"Yea, well he…" I trailed off, trying to remember what he said. "He said…"

I take a moment to think things over. Nicki was scared out there when I found her alone out there and Jake was gone. Mike told me she stabbed him. Would she really do something like that? She may have acted like a tough little shit, but after seeing her so vulnerable tonight it might've been impossible for her to do something like that. But what if it was just a story? There was a possibility he could've done it to himself and blamed her. But why?

She glanced back at the doors again, "Let's keep this to ourselves. It's almost midnight and that means we only have 6 hours until sunrise."

We slowly walk up the steps when a thought comes to my head," You think they're still out there together?"

"Well there's only one way to find out. We barely know Mike, he's always been her little boy toy hanging with the Lacrosse team. Remember his little stunt at Homecoming last year? It took 3 policemen to handcuff him. Come on. They're probably wondering where we are."

We head back into the kitchen and Tina gives me a look, the ' _don't tell anyone'_ look, before checking the windows again. Mike's sitting on the couch in the adjoining living room sharing the bong with Chad gazing up at the ceiling. It seems they've both traded in their fear for relaxation, giggles, and the munchies. I look at his shoulder wound and cringe at the sight of blood. It could've been self-inflicted. Mike had enough bulk on his shoulders and arms to smash into 3 rival football players so it was possible for him to smash a car window. He turned over shoulder to look at me and gave me a smirk kicking off his shoes sliding off the couch and crawling over to my chair. My knees perk when he stands up beside me.

He coughs smoke," You know, E. It's not so bad when you take a hit or two…"

I shrug," I wasn't stabbed…" I smile looking at the dry crusty blood on his shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down. There's no ambulance for miles—"

He looks at Chad then me, giggles," I'm bleeding! I'm fucking bleeding! Am I dying? Kkkkk!" he covered his mouth laughing.

"Knock it off!" Tina pushes his face away with his palm. "Come on E, we have to go to the car and I don't want to go _alone_." Tina pulled my arm up off the seat, pulling me toward the door looking back at the boys. She closed the door and looked in the windows, making sure the boys weren't following.

"Come on. I need your help."

"What for?"

"Come on. Todd gave me something that might help us."

The breeze brings goosebumps to my skin as we wedge ourselves in between the parked cars across the sidewalk and to our car. She takes a key to the trunk and takes out a box.

"Remember last year when Todd asked me to be his girlfriend and we went to the State Fair together that same summer?"

"Yea. So?"

"Yea, well, his dad is the survivalist type guy and he's really into chrome!"

"Oh my god, you brought that to a party!?" I gasped.

"It's loaded and it's got the safety on. It's for emergency situations like this." She slips the gun under her belt, looking in every direction making sure no one was looking. "I don't trust anyone tonight. It's just you and me, okay? Don't tell the guys anything."

"Are you sure that's safe? What about Chad and Mike?"

"Stop asking stupid questions! This is why you're so annoying!" she rolled her eyes, walking back to the house. "Don't tell them shit! Don't fucking tell them shit."

"What about Rick?"

"He left with Rebecca…"

"Rebecca, you mean his _girlfriend_?" I sneered at her.

We both didn't say a word as we walked back to the house. Somehow she managed to stay three steps ahead of me ignoring that I was behind her, judging her. We were walking on the front porch steps when she spun around on her heel and pushed me back.

"Okay, I fucked up. So what?" Tina's bottom lip trembled, putting the back of her hand on her forehead. "We all fuck up right? But that doesn't mean we're bad people."

I can't do anything for her except stare.

"You know ever since Todd left for Spring Break and he was away… Ever since… I can't help but feel…" she gulped her tears back, looking up at the roof walking in a small circle. "Don't judge me, E. Don't you dare judge me."

"Let's go," I whisper. "Have to make sure the boys don't set the house on fire."

 **(A/N: I know that none of this matters, but the gun and Mike come into play in the next chapter. We know what happened to Nicki and Jake. Now it's up to Evey to rescue the boy from next door. Better yet, Increase Mather will be in the next chapter too. Thanks!)**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

( **A/N: Just to make it clear, I'm combining episodes "In Vain, Survivors, Lies" all crammed into one chapter. Hopefully it doesn't get too confusing**.)

The feeling of having a loaded gun so close felt nauseating and my head swam with possibilities it could bring, good or bad. She had one in the car this whole time and didn't tell me. Typical. My gut flipped every time Tina looked at Mike. He couldn't be responsible for any of this. It was bad enough that we were stuck here and it was even worse when we didn't trust each other -

A knock came at the door making us all turn our heads. I was the first to stand up, frozen in my place. Tina hopped up, her hand close to her hidden weapon. She and I were the only two people in this entire house that had their heads clear instead of munching on chips and spicy guacamole on the floor. My heart raced. Maybe it was Nicki, or Jake, or the police!

"Tina! Evey!" a voice called, which I recognized. It took me a moment to gain my breath.

"Mom?" I gasp, running to the door. "Mom, hold on the door's locked." _Thank god_!

My fingers fiddle as I hold my breath. With a big swing I open the door expecting to see her with dad or a running working car. But no one was there. There's only a few pumpkins sitting on the porch and leaves falling in the wind. I look to my right; no one. I look to my left; no one. I turn around to look at Tina.

"You heard that right?"

"I heard it."

"It was mom. I know it was," I look in every direction to see her, walking down the steps wrapping my red cloak around myself. My black laced boots crunched on the leaves walking further out into the parking lot and onto the grass mildew. "Mom!"

"It wasn't her. It couldn't have been, get back in the house!"

"Mom!" I shouted louder this time, then I suddenly see a shadow move in the woods. I narrow my eyes to get a better look at this shadowy figure. "Mom?"

"E! E! Get back in the fucking house."

It was a tall shadowy figure standing against the trees almost as if this thing was wearing a large black coat over its head. My heart raced watching this thing suddenly move as if it were made of clay, shaping and morphing into a face. It was mom standing against the trees.

"E! E! E! Where are you going!?" Tina stepped onto the parking lot, following me. "Where are you going!?"

I couldn't take my eyes away from this… _thing_. Mom, or whatever it was, began to slowly walk into the woods as slowly and as dimly as a shadow. This would be _so ironic_ if I was going to meet my big bad wolf. Soon her arms and shoulders were visible to the point where her whole body figure stood against the trees, walking backward, never taking her eyes off of me. Her eyes weren't her eyes, they were black, black as midnight. I took another step forward realizing I was halfway across the street. My stomach twisted in tiny knots thinking of the worst. Tina jumped off the porch holding a hand against the wind erupting in a violent storm coming from the clouds circling above the house pushing the leaves in a swirling vortex. She raised her voice waving her arms but I couldn't hear her. The only thing I could see was mom and the only thing I could hear were…whispers. Whispers in all different voices but coming from only one person; _her_. I followed her into the woods until the darkness was so complete I was sure that I was lost until I saw her walk between an oak and a fence, steadily into the woods.

"Mom?" I called out, clutching the collar of my cloak tighter, protecting my face from the wind. "Mom!"

There was no answer, only more wind and raging storm coming closer and closer until thunder and lightning broke the roar. Leaves whipped against my face while the lightning struck across the sky in bolts so big it shook the earth, and I shook.

"Mom!" I called out, kneeling to the ground, smashing my hands against the cold dirt. "Mom!"

The bolts of lightning momentarily lit my path of trees, leaves, and a figure standing among all of it. Somewhere Tina was calling my name and I was calling hers too, trying to find each other in these woods. Crescendos rang in my head until finally all together— _it stopped_. A silence so sudden I thought I had gone deaf. As soon as I opened my eyes, the world outside the circle was raging as violently as anything I'd ever seen. _Was I in some sort of bubble_? It was as serene and tranquil as a yoga class inside this invisible bubble. I stood up and saw Mom, smiling, black eyes, standing next to the tree in a black dress and I wanted to say something to her, call out to her for help, ask her what the hell she was doing, to come back with me to the house—until she stepped into the tree, slipping beneath the boughs, and disappeared. It's almost as if the tree opened its mouth to eat her.

"Mom!" I brought my hand to the tree, trying to find her.

The trees are fucking eating people! I bang my fists against the trunk and rake my nails across the hard wood, trying to understand what happened. If I can get an axe then maybe she has a chance. I turned to run back to the house, but I see Tina and Mike, together, among the dirt and leaves, wrestling together. He was on top of her locking her legs beneath his as she was trying to knee him in the groin. I was about to tell her (yell, scream) when Mike clutched onto her arms gripping for leverage. He yanked and smashed her arms against the ground as hard as he could over and over until the gun flew from her fingers. She yelled in pain as the gun clanked against the ground and twirled, landing in front of me.

"Tina!" I screamed, reaching for the gun.

Mike shot me a look of hate before jumping off of Tina and running towards me at full speed, charging to tackle at the gun before I did something with it. Tina raised her head from the dirt desperately yelling something, probably telling me to run—and I was about to- before Mike hit an invisible wall and flew backwards. A voice reminds me to breath, I inhale and a powerful feeling enters my lungs reaching higher and higher up into my head. It was a _high feeling_ that I've never felt before. A newfound strength rises and moves inside me, like a fire and its getting stronger. With outstretched arms I feel the suction, being pulled into the dark mouth of the tree and soon filled with warmth and reverence. The last thing I see is Tina's face before my world is shut like two doors. In a matter of minutes the windy raging night sky transformed into the bright of day. The ground screams as it comes in contact with my face, I see a flash of white and red, I taste blood in my lip and the pain swells. I breathe, coughing and rolling on my back looking at the sky. I flutter my eyes open and it takes a few seconds to adjust. Birds are in the trees while a cloud blissfully moves across the sky and the sun is warm against my skin. _What the hell just happened?_

" _Evey!"_ a voice, someone's voice… Mom's voice whispers in my head. " _Evey, he needs you_ …"

"Mom?"

My face still hurts when I stand up and walks towards her voice, wobbling into the woods, reaching out for support. I have to get Tina, find Tina and get the hell out of here and this nightmare will be over. Suddenly the whiplash sets in and all the contents in my stomach burst from my mouth in a fountain into the bushes leaving the sting of stomach acid lingering in the back of my throat and nose. My world suddenly becomes 2, then 3, then 4 images swirling across my eyesight in a kaleidoscope turning in circles. My knees turn into marshmallows as I fall back into the dirt and my world goes back.

 **2 Days Later** :

I wake up in a sweat and kick off my covers, panting as if I ran a marathon. The furs and pelts fall into a heap on the floor. Sunlight pours in the windows and a rooster crows outside somewhere leaving me paralyzed in my place.

"Mom…" I mumble, holding a hand to my head. "Mom. Mom?"

"Be still," a voice came from the dark, it was a man's voice. His fingers come in contact with my head. "You've been asleep for nearly 2 days."

His face looks blurry, like blots of black paint in my vision moving across the room. My head is still swimming and my legs can't stop shaking.

"Dad?" I murmur, holding my fingers to my lips. "Dad, I had a bad dream."

There was a pause," What's your name?"

My tongue feels like an alien body in my mouth, dry and making disgusting noises as I try to speak," Evey…"

Through my lashes he peers closer. My legs stop shaking and I finally see his face.

"Evey," I repeat.

His whole demeanor tells me he wants something else, _something important_ , besides knowing me name. I could feel it. The man nods his head pouring water in a cup before placing a hand against my head. He kneels up to leave the room for a moment to return holding a plate of food with a young girl walking beside him. She pulls back a hand before momentarily touching my head informing the man there was no sign of fever. They both look at each other for a moment before stepping out of the room to have a private discussion. He even closes the door. I wipe the crap out of eyes and take a better look at the room. It's…not home, that's for sure. I sit up from bed to look at the beef and bread sitting upon the bed table. My appetite is the least of my worries. I can hear the man and the woman argue outside my room before momentarily entering and it looks like the woman had the last word. He moves a chair in front of me.

"Evey," he begins gently, pausing for a moment, looking back at the woman as if he was getting impatient of acting polite. "What business did you have in the woods?"

I rub my head against my hands, fuck I need some pain killers right now.

He's waiting eagerly in his chair, tugging on a hair from his chin," What business did you have in the woods?"

"What?" I whisper.

It's his last nerve and he stands from his chair," The woods! What did you—"

"Why were you alone out there?" the girl asks, holding his shoulder. She pushed him back behind her, separating us. "Especially all alone. You could have ended up in the belly of a bear."

"Bears? There's no bears in Salem," I look at her through my lashes. "I was just… looking for my mom."

"Your mother?" the man narrows his eyes," That deep in the woods? _No_ bears in Salem?"

The girl rolls her eyes," Excuse Mr. Alden, I think the girl is quite parched, don't you think? Fetch her water please?"

Everyone in the room knew it was a tactic for him to leave the room which I would enjoy instead of receiving his suspicious glares. He kneeled from his chair and shut the door behind him. I wasn't getting that water, was I? The girl put on a kind smile on her face and for a moment we both stared at each other, not knowing what else to say. So I was going to break the ice.

"Who are you?"

She straightened her back, "Anne Hale, it is nice to meet you Evey…?"

"Blackwood, Evey Blackwood," I nodded my head, rising from the bed and looking out the window. "Where… W-Where am I?"

A rooster screams somewhere in the distance as I see a group of pigs point their snouts in the mud while men and women wearing—whatever the hell it is they're wearing—walking. Women holding baskets of fruit and bread and walking with their children while the men talk to each other in groups. The rooster's scream jostles me back to reality and Anne comes up behind me.

"Evey, what is it? Are you ill?" she stepped closer.

I pull my hair into a messy ball on top of my head and grab my shoes at the foot of the bed wiping tears coming down my cheek. Anne is already grabbing the tray of food and closing the shutter window, rushing after me. This house is smaller than I expected, turning around a corner wall into the main living room. On instinct, I touched the wall for a switch but there were none. There was no sign of modern technology, flat screen TV, electric outlets, or any sign of indoor plumbing. Warning signs ring in my head as I take a deep breath and open the door to the outside world, but it's nothing what I expect. I can't take another step forward and my hand tightens around the door knob. _This is a dream, wake up_.

"Wake up," I repeat out loud, closing my eyes hard, and opening. "Wake up…"

I let go of the doorknob and step out into this different world. I don't recognize anything! Or anyone! Anne is behind me trying to decide whether to let me wander like a poisoned sheep or help me back inside the house before I lose my mind.

"Wake up…" I repeat, louder this time.

Anne steps in to hold my shoulder and try to lead me back to the house trying to ignore the people stopping in their tracks to whisper among themselves. She tries to tell me to return to the house, but as soon as I see the body of…- a _body_? My blood freezes, instantly, shackling me to the ground in invisible chains as I see the body of a woman hang from a noose on a platform in the middle of the town. My bottom lip trembles, my stomach sucking up against my spine, while my memory is reeling in every detail of the corpse in high definition. She wore a black dress with a black bonnet over her drooping head with a red apron covered in something stinky, hanging limp as a doll.

Anne came up behind me, swallowing a sob, "I know how you feel. It's an abominable thing; she didn't deserve a fate such as this. I am as disgusted as you are," Anne looked upon the hanging body with grief before scowling at the ground. "It's madness. Complete and utter madness."

"Anne!" a voice came from behind us, but I was too frozen to move or look who was talking. The smell of death was right in front of me and the sight of it was there too. "Anne! What is she doing out here? If any of the selectmen or your father spy her prowling out here dressed like that then it'll be a swift walk to the gallows! For all of us!"

Instantly, I feel my body being moved from the streets and back into the house. As soon as the door closes behind us, I suddenly feel relief, the world had gotten much smaller and composed of a single room with Anne and his man here with me. I could finally breathe. He shoves a glass of muck water in my hands and has a private word with Anne in the other room, while I decompress from shock. They're speaking to each other, arguing even, like two parents would over their trouble child. I've never seen something like _that_ before. In fact, no one should. But this is Salem, only centuries before anyone I knew was born. Fucking time travel. I sniffle, wiping the tears away from my eyes. The word **witch** comes to mind and I'm hoping against all the odds that I'm not the century I think I am. That woman's face, her blue dead face wasn't leaving my mind, the image was still flashing in my head. What's wrong with these people!? A rooster screams from outside the window reminding me what's out there and I can't help but feel alone, like I've never been alone before.

 **On The Sea** :

It began with a dead blue girlchild, no older than any two or three years, lying amongst the festering rats, intertwined among the bodies of her siblings and mother and father whom were either sleeping or lying dead among their own dead family tree. Lifting her eyelids her eyes were white, riddled with red veins, milky, evident of an unnatural death. The ship did not rock, nor did it stir, refusing to voyage any further in these deep waters lucidly sitting among the fog underneath the full moon dangerously vulnerable to the water creatures below. But it was not the water creatures that disturbed the great witch hunter Reverend, nor were its dead passengers, but the evil that resided on this ship, living largely on the dead souls it served itself. With a heavy boot he pushed her body on her back revealing her worm face slick with sea slime, pouring water from her lips, rotting in her bones. The poor girl never had a chance. The Captain, in his state of selfish being urged the Reverend to return back to the deck explaining of a _strangeness_ spreading throughout the ship but Increase, coiled and brazenly angry, snarled and pushed the Captain away from him. Forcefully disregarding his orders to return—only an insidious truth and discovery has been revealed.

"Reverend! These are not your quarters; please return out of this foul place. It has been 7 days be calmed, no wind, with our food and water diminishing."

" _Foul_ , it is indeed."

His gloved hand moved the head of a man back and forth as if checking the head of a cabbage, checking, rechecking, dismissing then moving onto the next poor soul that would never live to see another day on this ship nor on land.

The Captain gazed upon the poor souls with a grimace, "Is all of this meant for a purpose?"

"Does _this_ ," he lifted the body of a boy, limp, blue, frozen from his spot. Lifting the body with both arms and shoving it into the Captain's arms with a shove, sending him trembling in his place. Increase pointed to the boy's face, dead, cold and tragic. "Need purpose?"

The Captain huffed, circling in front of him. "We are hopeless. This ship is becalmed between land and between lands, we are stuck."

"This ship is **spelled** ," growled Increase, ruling across the floor back and forth, not looking at the Captain, but looking at the faces of the diseased, snarling, feeling, smelling, knowing a demon lurked somewhere here, now, taunting him. Never go weak or weaponless into the darkness and Increase will do just that. "It's here."

The Captain stepped closer, cautious to give the strict Reverend his space, "What's here?"

Increase spied a woman, looking out to the passengers, looking remarkably well despite the disease running rampant on this ship. He stepped closer to her and demanded she look him in the eye. Quickly dismissing her, releasing her from his hardened gaze and ruling, he fetched his book from his pocket, gripping the leather bind with intense vigor it ought to burst, and he, at last, gazed upon the Captain, "Make no mistake—I will find him."

 **Later That Night** :

"She hasn't spoken a word since this morning. She seems to be in shock. Or… in pain." Anne crosses her arms, nervous and somewhat anxious.

John spies the girl lying in bed, through the crack opening of the door," Where is she from?"

"She failed to mention that," Anne paced in the hallway, weaving her fingers together. "I believe she is just lost. Perhaps maybe her and her mother lost their way from Boston?"

"Or she is a sad lonely little girl unable to cope with the fact she has no home…She's a runaway."

"How?"

"Look at her. Look at her clothes. Look at her shoes. Look at the red paint on her lips. Look at what she is and isn't. And she's anxious—anxious to speak with me at least." He paces into another room. "We cannot keep her here."

"She'll have nowhere to go. She has no possessions or family to look after her. You'll be condemning her to nothing." Anne took a step toward him, then hesitating herself. " _We'll_ be condemning her."

"We?"

"You found her in the woods. You could have left her there to be eaten by wild creatures or kidnapped by savages or hunted and killed by witches, but you didn't. Don't you see? You have a heart Captain Alden," Anne smiled to him, knowing she was affecting him with her words. John shook his head looking up at the ceiling; she gained her courage ready to pound the final nail in her campaign. "You decided to make her your responsibility, Captain Alden, and if we just throw her out then she'll surely starve or worse—"

"Alright! Alright! Alright!" he waved his hands in defeat. "She may stay one night and no more."

Anne stepped forward to embrace him, but only took his gaze of acceptance as a reward. "That is all that is needed."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 **The Next Day** :

I stood on top of the bed reaching as high as I could, holding my cellphone nearly touching the ceiling. For the half past hour I've been trying to catch any signal but no luck. This was impossible! I slipped my cellphone back into my pocket and sulked in bed. The rooster screamed somewhere out my window for the billionth time today! Every sound, every unfamiliar sound, creaked and moaned in this tiny house and it made me sick to my stomach. Why did we have to live in the _Flintstones_ house? I needed to get out of here and go back home! Anne offered breakfast like a sweetheart. A breakfast plate of dry crusted bread with a boiled egg and undercooked beef that looked like lamb brains. I declined. But she persisted. Like she persisted on many other things.

"So, what is your mother's name? Does she live in Boston?" Anne poured a cup of hot tea in two cups for us both, smiling.

"Um, Catherine, but everyone calls her Cathy," I replied, accepting her homemade tea. I watched her forehead crease in curiosity.

"And your father? Is he from Boston or New York? Or has he journeyed here from London?"

 _From Arizona, but I don't think that has been established as a state yet_. I bite my lip, thinking while she stirs her cup with a spoon.

"He's… not from here, in fact, I haven't seen him in years. He went off to explore… the western lands. He's far away." _More like 300 years away from my time_.

"How brave and adventurous of him! An explorer! I suppose there's more in the world to explore than little Salem, I envy him," she complimented, I think.

"And your mother?" she sipped from her cup, eyeing me the entire time. "I imagine she's worried sick about you. Is she coming here to Salem as well? Are you too well established here?"

"I'm not sure," I whisper, remembering her face shrinking into the woods. Remembering her being swallowed by the tree. "But I… don't think I'm going to see her or anyone I know again."

"Where does your family come from?"

 _Lived in California, moved to Salem when I was 2 years old because mom was sick and tired of her weird nagging parents and my dad got a better job._

"I'm from New York originally," I lied, feeling my lie accomplish her naïve trust. "I don't know how I ended up here. I really, really, really don't belong here."

 _That was the truth_.

"I don't belong here and I don't want to stay here." I put down my cup with too much emphasis. "All I want to do is go home. I need to go back! And I… don't know how to do that. I don't know how I got here."

"Be calm, Miss, it will be alright."

Maybe it was cabin fever, but my body was restless. She swallowed, pressing her lips together in thought looking at the little herbs swirling in her cup, trying to find a comforting retort. In the time she thought of one, John walked in and gave Anne a look. They must read minds because she immediately set down her cup and followed him to the window.

"What's going on?" I rose to my feet, standing beside Anne. "What's happening?"

John snarled, pounding his fist against the frame," It's Isaac, he's been arrested."

"Arrested?" Anne and I said in unison following John out the door as he grabbed Isaac by the collar and they both began whispering to each other. Anne and I watched as John began a campaign defending Isaac (the Fornicator?) against a man in black standing beside another man in black. It seems the people are conscious of their fashion sense. Before I realize it, Anne walks to the man who seems to be in charge. Anne, the innocent girl I thought she was, seethes venom through her lips at him, almost scolding him like a brother. I couldn't help but feel helpless. Should I grab a torch and a pitchfork or slip away? Anne turned on her heel, gave the man Isaac a sorrowful glance before coming back into the house and shutting the door with extra force than intended.

"What's happening?" I ask.

" _Nothing_! Nothing is happening! That is the problem! He won't do a thing! He won't do a thing to stop the killing!" Anne rushes to the other side of the room, snatching her coif and scarf off the table and twirling the string around her fingers. "He has the power to stop it, but he won't."

"Who?"

"My father," she spits, rolling her eyes. And then I understand. Anne sees the realization on my face and smiles. "He's a magistrate of Salem, and he's so keen to bring ashes to the whole town. Does he not see that we are doing the Devil's work for him!? Is he so thirsty for blood? Isaac is an outcast, yes, but a witch? He is not! A mind of a child he has, but his heart and soul is untouched as the first sunrise of day!"

What I heard was: **witch**. This is the age where everyone thinks women are a bunch of crazy bitches. Because bitches be crazy! It's the worst century ever! Especially for women! Hot panic rises.

"He's your father?" I whisper, looking out the window to the man with silver hair and wearing a hat. Maybe I need to stay on his good side. To me he seemed like a strict man, but maybe it was because he was ordering his men to fetch Isaac out of the jail cell. "And who's Isaac? Why do they think he's a witch?"

"He's a sweet man; I assure you and a good friend to Captain Alden. He's in the jail because he was in the Diving Rod going after every woman he saw fit to go after. It's monstrous what they did him, too, long ago when Mr. Sibley was mobile and vocal. What _he_ allowed to happen all those years ago," Anne pointed to her forehead, pressing on her temple, as if disturbed. "They branded him with the mark of the Fornicator a long time ago. It was a cruel and unjust act of power by the monster George Sibley."

I trembled, my hand tracing along my cellphone inside my pocket. These psychos fucking brand people! What happens when they finally see that I don't fit in? Will they think I'm a witch too?

"Anne? What do they do to people who are… _different_?"

"Different? In what way?" she asked wiping a tear away, trying to cover her embarrassment, and smiled at me warmly, as if encouraging me to share my mystery to her. She wiped her face one more time and wiped her nose. "It's alright, Evey, fear not. You do not deceive me, I dare say, in some way or other, of which I formed the idea that you weren't being honest. New faces of people have perhaps misrepresented themselves when they are running away from their past."

"What?" my face dead-panned.

"While I can have a morning to myself," said she, seating us both down at the dining room table. "It is enough—I think it is no shameful sacrifice to join occasionally in my own fantasy that I do not belong here in Salem either, and I live another life somewhere. And I profess myself a secret imagination that I am someone else. And I know now that you are imaging yourself as someone else, _right now_."

 _Earth to Evey_! She's telling you she has your back! This is your first homegirl you've made that's from another century!

"Okay…" I replay everything she just said and reorganize every word. "You caught me. I'm a runaway. What do they do to runaways? They don't brand them do they? Do they go to jail?"

 _Or hang_!?

Anne squeezed my hand," Fear not! The whore house is not for you! Nor a jail cell! Come! You must find your place here in Salem, lest you be living on the streets which would be most unsuitable for a darling young lady like yourself!" Anne pulled me up from the seat, rushing us both out the door. "And I know just the place! It'll be perfect! Come along!"

 **1 Hour Later** :

"Her name was Bridgette Bishop, she was a midwife and she was a dear friend of mine. They hanged her for being accused as a witch," she whispered, holding up her drawing book, showing me a face portrait of the woman. With so much detail in her sketch, I would say that she seemed an innocent woman. She kinda looked like my 4th grade teacher, the one who secretly smoked some smooth ' _grass'_ behind the garbage cans when we went out for recess. She didn't look like a witch at all. Now she was dead. Anne embraced her book to her chest, "The townspeople saw it fit to loot the orphanage when their headmistress was… removed. The children here are in need of a new Headmistress…"

"They hanged her for being a witch!?"

 _Damn, tough shit_.

"Yes, it's madness! It's all insanity!" Anne pulled out a large chest from beneath the bed and opened it, pulling out coifs, waistcoats, petticoats, and aprons with shoes. "She was taken to trial and judged by the selectman and—and it was Mary Sibley who casted the vote for Mercy Lewis to judge her."

"Who's Mary?" _Probably the queen bee of this whole town_. Or a lonely spinster.

"Mary Sibley, the richest woman in all of Salem and the country who rules behind her husband and fears no one and loves no one, certainly in these times. She and I share… no similar opinion and I don't care what mother says; she is a vile and loveless woman. But an attentive neighbor she is indeed, she is the sort of woman whom one cannot regard with too much deference."

 _Oh my god, the 1600's had their own Regina George_. _They love to hate her_.

She tied her black coif around her head and stopped to look back at me from the doorframe, smiling warmly as if I had a halo above my head. "Thank you, Evey. Thank you for everything, I'll be back tomorrow to check on the children and you. Then we shall begin your training into the perfect little secret runaway."

 _Whatever you say, Miss Queen of Goodness and Charity and Mercy_. I smile unclipping the cloak from my back and hanging it up on the chair before turning to look back at her, squeezing my fingers together against my stomach, trying to figure out what to say. I don't know if I would survive this place without her.

"Thank you," I said before she left. She stopped at the doorway. "You know… for giving me a place to stay and not telling anyone about this. I bet there are people who are scared of… _different_."

300 centuries of _different_.

"I would never!" encouraged her, stepping closer. "We all have a choice and a destiny. Yours is right here, in Salem. Can I speak truthfully? Your past is history, but it is just that, history and do not consider me now an elegant female, intending to plague and pity you, but a rational girl, speaking truth from her heart that you and I are the same. You are splendidly charming! I am persuaded to introduce you to my mother and father tonight if that won't be any trouble? They would love to meet the new Headmistress!"

This chick was persuasive. In another world maybe she would've been the sassy kick-ass lawyer with authority issues. Or maybe I wasn't used to so much _girl-bonding_ time with someone besides Tina. But I guess it couldn't hurt.

"Yea, sure..." I smiled. "I'll be there."

 **In the Hale House** :

This was a big mistake. Big. Fucking. Mistake.

"I don't know how I can explain it without sounding crazy, but I guess I was born with it. I've never noticed it before," I seal my lips, looking down at my plate, pretending to eat a carrot. I panic and try to give her mom (Mrs. Hale) a reason to leave me alone! "I can't tell you how…"

Anne stabbed her potato with extra emphasis, "Mother would you please stop this insistent nagging? You're making my friend feel most uncomfortable as you're making us all."

 _America. Embarrassing their daughters ever since the 1600's, how typical_.

"Oh, hush, Anne. It's a work of god, surely, to be born with such a beautiful smile. Why it's like the mouth of the sun, don't you agree?" she looked at her husband, but before he could respond she shot me another look. "Lest you have some sort of secret for your pearls? Why it must not be so unmistakable! You see Anne? If you saw your prayers morning and night and not a word of deceit and always in gods good word, then he shall bless you with white teeth too!"

Her mother stood up from her chair, crossed over to my side of the table, and grabbed my chin to look at my teeth. Oh fuck she smelled bad up close.

"Oh, look how straight they are!" she laughed, pinching my cheeks with her hands, shaking her head. "It's god's good work! You see Anne? Why can't you be like her? Go not prayerless to your bed and you shall be blessed."

"Mother!"

"Darling," Mr. Hale cut in. "I think we all have come to the pleasant conclusion of Miss Blackwood's teeth that shine like the precious of pearls, undoubtedly. We are all blessed with equal or more, never than less value than we are born with. Indeed, Miss Blackwood is blessed with spectacular blonde hair that shines like molten honey in the warmest of summers and a lovely face that even Cupid would boast about- But what I'm curious to know is what your business here in Salem is; surely there was nothing in Boston that would offer a _young beautiful lady_ as yourself?"

He's talking about prostitution isn't he?

"I decided to come to Salem because…" I paused looking at Anne. I gulped and walked right into the lion's den. "Because I heard that Miss Bishop was… no longer in _service_ and someone has to take over the orphanage. I'm not scared of a witch panic in these parts and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help the children. They're not going teach themselves right?"

I had to remind myself to change 'kiddos' with 'children'.

"How wonderful! Yes, it's a shame for such an occurrence to happen so suddenly in Salem."

"You make it sound like such a shocking _surprise_ ," Anne sliced her meat in squares, grinding the knife across in screeches while her fork did the same. "Why make a reoccurring thing sound like such a surprise? Oh have you already forgotten the poor souls that have been so shamelessly and unforgivingly hanged for no reason other than a sharp opinion of Reverend Mather?"

"Please!" her mother intervened, pointing a spoon to her daughter. "None of this tonight please? Especially in front of our guest, you show your manners Anne."

"Very well, mother," Anne bit her tongue, before giving me a warm smile. "Ms. Blackwood, are you married?"

I almost choked on my food.

"No."

"Engaged?"

"No."

"Engaged to be engaged?"

Her mother smiled, grateful for the change of topic. "Oh you're a fine young thing Miss Blackwood; I'm sure a handsome young man will make you a glorious wife someday in Salem. Don't you think so?"

Her father wiped a napkin on his lips," _Hermf_ , of course. Only the best!"

"You know I talked with Mrs. Brown just yesterday and she says her son is ripe in age and I would be so sublimely happy if you two could exchange a word or two."

 _Pimping me out already? Wow, and here I thought my mom was bad_.

"Oh, mother!" Anne set down her silverware and looked at me. "She can marry whoever she so pleases! You have plenty of time to marry. Why not shove her to every door and beg every boy? Forgive my mother she can have the imagination and passion of cupid especially when we have a lovely guest at our dinner table. Father, you are knowledgeable of Salem and its _inhuman faults_ why don't you indulge our guest?"

Mr. Hale took a moment to chew his foot an opportunity to think of something to say to his guest.

He swallowed heartily, and cleared his throat, "Well, it's lovely here in the summer and frighteningly cold in the winter, birds have gone, the teeming life that goes on down in the long grass is exterminated, the prairie dog keeps his hole, the variegated fields are all one color now, it is like an iron country and the spirit of Salem is oppressed by its rigor and melancholy and at night—"

"The witches come out! One could easily believe that this town and its landscape the germs of spells and hexes would make it extinct!"

"Anne!"

"They do! Don't hide the obvious truth!"

"I thought we went through this. Must we go through this once more?"

"Father!"

"Hold your tongue, Anne. Are you trying to frighten our guest away? This is all devil talk and there will be none of that in this house!" her father pounded on the table, but gave me a quick smile as if he was embarrassed for his daughter to speak her mind. He straightened his back, smoothening out his shirt, "Forgive my daughter and her fool-hearted superstitions. Often it gets the best of her. Often when death and madness gets the better of all of us, but what's done is done. Isaac will go to trial, his fate is sealed." Her father eyed his headstrong daughter solemnly poking a carrot around on her plate refusing to look him in the eye. _Damn it, looking at Snapchat sounded good right about now_. "And perhaps too much is expecting in Salem. Reverend Mather had no choice but to follow every protocol and step he knew when Ms. Bishop was put on trial and no one could have done it any better. Mercy Lewis, her mind no longer her own but possessed by the art of the devil, gave him a clear sign that she was a witch, was showered in blood and she was hanged for it. Isaac will see the same fate tomorrow."

"What did Mercy do?" I asked and I couldn't believe I opened my mouth when I should be quiet, _but I had to know_.

"Mercy Lewis, an innocent girl of this town, threw a mouthful of blood on Ms. Bishop and that was a sign that she was a witch. Reverend Mather only did his duty. Mary Sibley did her duty. As we all have our duties to this town."

"Mary Sibley?" I roll the name on my tongue. "What did she do?"

 _Just shut up_! Mr. Hale was almost fed up with all these questions, but I wanted to understand their world. I wanted to understand who these people were!

"If this Mercy girl was just a citizen, a victim of a disease, then why give her power? You haven't given her authority but why give her influence over the people? If a girl's sick why not take her to the hospital? So if everyone starting puking on each other, is everybody a witch?" I begin, thinking, rethinking, and my mind slowly began to build an argument against his logic. "It just doesn't make sense."

"Mary Sibley suggested that Mercy be the judge of the witch, since she is bound to react to evil."

All together everyone began eating in an awkward silence and I wished _SO_ badly that I could look at my phone and pretend to check my Instagram feed or something. Or excuse myself to the bathroom, but all they have is fucking buckets! But that would send me in a bad light, definitely. I bit into a bread role as calmly as possible. My mom told me all the ghost story tales of Salem and the witch trials. But witches _weren't_ real. They couldn't be. These people were just driven by some force to hang women at the gallows and there was no rational reason why they did these things. Right? _A fucking Salem Brady Bunch family_.

"Well, thank you for the meal, it's so much… _different_ … that where I come from," I broke the silence, looking at all of them, especially Anne. "Your daughter was the first friend I've made in this town. And, I hope that I am a good Headmistress for the orphanage and that I don't let anyone down."

Anne nodded her head towards me while her father seemed to ponder a thought.

" _And I don't believe in witches_. I'm not afraid of them either, because why be afraid of something that doesn't exist…" I stated looking at my plate, feeling her father's eyes on me burn. I began laughing, "I mean… there has to be a scientific explanation for everything because without proof… it's all nothing, right? If I can't see it or feel it, then it's not real. Mercy is sick in the head or maybe she's just losing her mind. So what I don't understand is why a man would condemn a woman to hang because she was accused on _opinion_ or even when a girl vomits on another. This 'Mercy' girl isn't judge, jury, or executioner and neither is this _Mary Sibley_ person…" I should stop now before her father is pissed off, but it felt so good to speak my opinion. "Mercy sounds like a victim to me. And Mary sounds like a tyrant."

"And she is!" Anne chimed in, encouraged by my words, she smiled. "You see as clearly as I do, Miss Blackwood that Salem is under a dark cloud that we seem not to mind lest the thunder roars when it is too late. Especially for Isaac..."

"Anne," her mother cut in. "You are poisoning Salem's newest Headmistress of the orphanage."

 _Way ahead of you, lady_.

"Forgive me, mother. It's just a _refreshing_ surprise and delight to speak with someone with an _equal_ moral and a fresh sense of justice in this world." Anne put her napkin down next to her silverware and gave a (fake) pleasant smile to her mother and father. "May I be excused?"

Her father nodded.

"Come Evey! We have much to discuss!" she grabbed my hand and I was happy to leave the table. We hurried upstairs, turned to her room, and she locked her door. "My, my, my, you are heaven sent Miss Blackwood."

"This town really believes a sick girl can choose who dies and who lives!? That's just crazy! She needs a doctor! This is just too crazy!"

"That's not even the worst of it, I assure you! The madness must stop. Until now I've always… felt alone and single in this crowd of mindless sheep waiting to listen to another word of Reverend Mather and my father. But, if you and me, together, speak our minds to Reverend Mather and my father and to Mary Sibley then surely we can make a difference together."

"I'm not so sure, Anne, I don't—" _give a fuck_?

"Please, Evey, you're a girl who speaks her mind! Do not let anything stop you from doing what's right."

"But I'm not capable of doing anything right. I just…" Truthfully, I didn't know why I spoke against her father which was a stupid idea, but I couldn't help myself. Her father was a complete failure working as the _lawman_ of the town, but I didn't need to do anything, right? "I just… thought out loud."

"I know that…" she sat on her bed. I sat down too, putting my hands in my hair, pressing my fingers against my scalp. Anne turned to me holding her doll in her hands, fixing back her wool hair on top of her sewn head. "But please take into account the lives you could change here in Salem, you are now the Headmistress of the orphanage, you may have a small voice during the trials. You saw what they did to Bridgette and Isaac! Not enough to sway the selectmen, but enough voice and fire to encourage the townspeople. I promise you; Evey. I will help you find your way back home. You will go home, but, for now, you're stuck here. And I know it may be terrifying and lonely, but it'll get better. Maybe it was no accident that you fell into Salem into our laps during these harsh times. Maybe it was _fate_."

Everything she said sounded like a sweet promise. _Home_. Maybe it was fate. But I couldn't be too sure. All of this felt like a nightmare and I would wake up in my room any minute now. I did want to go home, but somewhere deep within myself, I did want to help these people. I did want to help bring a little light to these medieval times.

She set her doll down against her pillow," I swear to you, I will help you, Evey Blackwood. You will go home. Just… help us, please?"

 **The Next Day** :

Captain John Alden did not work with ready delight outside the building slicing logs in half and answered me with cold civility; he sat down for a few moments wiping a rag against his forehead before removing himself to restock the fireplace. The tension between us could be stabbed with a feather. I put away the blankets back in the closet while he got up from his seat, paced around, and stood near me as if to say something. What's he waiting for? Permission? I was surprised that a man of few words could say so much.

I rolled my eyes, shutting the cabinet drawer, "Do you have a question? Or are you just being delightful for fun?"

He glared, tugging a hair from his chin," You think you have Anne fooled, Miss Blackwood, but not me."

"Oh really? Are you giving me a standing ovation?"

"Do you deny it?"

"Deny what?"

"Deny the lies or whatever bullshit you're selling?" he stepped closer. "Because you do seemed pleased with your position here in Salem. Was that your plan all along?"

I scoffed," Do you think I wanted any of this? I didn't want to be part of this freak show and there's no way in hell I want to be stuck here with these people or an asshole like you!"

"Then what do you want? Because it's no mistake you're hiding something."

So maybe he wasn't like the other men here in Salem, he certainly spoke his mind.

"I'm not hiding anything! I just want to go home! I don't care what you think! I don't want anything from this place, these people, or from you!" I ran my hands up and down my apron, all over this dress, looking down at my shoes, giving him a perfect example of my misery. "Do you think I want to dress like this!? Where I come from the material does chafe your whole body! I have rashes all over my arms! And these damn shoes! How do they expect us to run in these things!? And I'm getting ' _helmet_ _hair_ ' by wearing this DAMN coif! Do you think I wanted any of this!?"

"I'm not sure what you want and I'm not sure what to think of you."

"You're afraid of me?" I crossed my arms over my chest actually stepping closer to him.

He sensed this challenge, stalking forward too. "I'm afraid of what you're capable of," he stepped closer, to the point where we're almost toe to toe. "This _act_ you're playing won't last long. Especially in Salem. Take my advice and leave now while you still have a chance."

He turned and left out the door, and I could smash his perfect pretty head with a book and call it a day. Despite of his deeply rooted dislike for me, he was… _protective_ of his town, of these orphaned kids, and protective of Anne too. That earned him my respect. But that doesn't mean I have to like him. Or be bullied by him! My fists rolled tightly into a ball and I ran to the frame of the door.

"Hey! Don't judge a book by its book cover, asshole!"

John stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me. He stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent. If he was shocked or annoyed he was hiding it well, I saw no emotion cross over his face. He and I stared at each other and I won the staring contest when he turned to walk into the woods without saying another smart-ass remark. What the hell is his deal? I didn't know cavemen still existed in this century. He smells like a locker room!

John changed his course to one more gratifying one in the shade of the woods, listening with delight the silence that came after Evey Blackwood, though in all his power had begun to heighten his confidence in it. He found her, by singular accident, laying in her red cloak and black bodice and he was convinced he had seen every phenomenon that could be seen, that there are mysterious women roaming the woods with skin as fresh as milk and hair as the sweetest honey. Despite the image of Miss Blackwood sweeping through his mind, John found contentment in the solitude he had sought out for himself. And what was wrong with their clothes? Nothing! It was much better than wearing a loin cloth and swinging from the trees. He disliked Evey Blackwood, he disliked any other asshole Puritan in the village, the broken food, the whiskey, and the bits of disappearing humanity left in that town. Trudging through the woods moodily but still his face kept his same calmness and deliberation of manner, the same clear fierce eyes, and he still wore a face of bewilderment. She didn't belong here, that was obvious, so why did he give a damn? That is not the way of this country, this land. The way here is for all to do alike, he is feared and despised (for leaving and for staying) and for stalking the woods where none others go, fearless against its savage wilderness and danger. John knew this—so what was _she_ (the angel) doing out here?

Far back in the main office of the orphanage, I was still trying to figure out how the hell this place had no wifi! Oh wait! That's right. It's all time travel! Like one big joke. My battery was about to die, damn it.

"Miss Blackwood! Evey?" a voice shouted from outside the door. My heart jumped into my throat, tucking my cellphone back into my pocket. Shit! They know! I'm going to burn as a witch! Maybe if I jump out the window then I can make a run for the woods!

"Yea?"

"Miss Blackwood! May I come in? Or should I say… _Headmistress Blackwood_?" Anne let herself in, taking a seat in front of my desk. _My desk_. _Heh, so weird_.

A huge weight is lifted off my shoulders, "Hey Anne, what's up."

" _What's up_?" she tilts her head to the side, smoothening out her apron.

 _Oopsh_. "I mean, what's going on in Salem? What's the latest news?"

"Well, usually the same, my _secretive_ father is sneaking out to meet _secret_ people within the late hours of the night to discuss more _secrets_ on top of more _secrets_ within their own _secret_ huddle."

"So not good?"

"Not good at all, especially when I came down with a sudden illness after you left dinner when you met my mother and father. That night after you left the strangest thing happened. I had a dream of a doll, my doll taking a hold my dreams, taking up restless and unpredictable…"

She shook her head," But my father told me it was nothing but nonsense. Forget my dream. It is nonsense. So, tell me, how was your first day?"

"Well not bad for my first day. I had to convince two little boys that it's not a good idea to look at the sun for more than 10 minutes, had to teach a little girl it's okay to use her words instead of throwing sticks at the window, and I found a dead rat stuffed in the chimney. Did you know that I had to teach the kids the first 10 letters of the alphabet for 3 hours!?"

"Evey, I congratulate you. You will be a very happy woman." Anne beamed.

"Happy? It's exhausting! I just want this day to be over! I want to pop in some Xanax, drink a pumpkin spice latte, and watch Stranger Things!"

"What is a latte?"

I shook my head, "Nothing…"

Anne went to the window instantly, opened it, and pretended to appreciate the fresh air. "It's a lovely day, don't you think?"

 _She's acting weird_.

"You're acting weird…"

"I am expecting! My father has just invited me to attend the meeting that is to come within 3 days! It's a meeting where all the selectmen discuss a new appointed man. Although I do not know whom. But I do say that I have a vague idea who it is…" her cheeks flushed.

I know that face. It's a ' _girl boner_ ' face and it's the face I see on Tina's face whenever she watches Magic Mike.

"And this is a good thing?"

"Of course! All the selectmen will be there."

"When will this happen?"

"Three days."

(A/N: I didn't think this chapter was that special, but Evey is thinking of a plan to get out of Salem before the meeting happens. But she might need some help from John Alden in the next chapter. But Increase might put a stop to that plan. Thanks! Review and Favorite!)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

My phone battery died.

And my hope died right along with the blinking red battery icon on my screen. Last night I had been scrolling through my photos for too long. Mom and dad and me on the trip to Paris. Me and Tina at the mall getting smoothies. Tina and her stupid selfie with Chad in a dinosaur costume for the Halloween bash the year before. Snapchats and videos of mom's birthday party after she returned from California. Me and Tina wearing our costumes for the school play last Spring. Me and Tina at the Friday night football game with paint on our faces.

It was just making me too sad. I kept swiping left and right, left and right, missing my old life, my regular life, my perfect life. Pictures of me and Tina at the State Fair eating a pink cloud of cotton candy in my favorite sundress. She won the stuffed purple dragon that day. The picture of me sleeping on the couch with Tina making funny faces next to me (never be the first to fall asleep at a sleepover). All of it seemed like a distant memory, like a dream.

And this was my new nightmare.

Pocketing it, I decided the whole day would be play time for the orphans, since after all, why not spend some time here doing something worthwhile. It was my duty after all. I may not belong here but the least I can do is help. Truthfully their education was coming along great. _Just play your part, Evey. You'll be okay. Just pay attention to the kids. You can't show these people your different from them, not for a second_. The results would be fatal. I can't let anything get me down, not when things have been so bad here lately. It was only a few hours ago that I finally saw a girl, named Mercy Lewis, a girl who looked like an Evil Dead character having a seizure or something in the streets with her father watching. People say she points at death or something. She can sense witches. Like their own personal radar. Standing on the doorstep to the back of the house, the children ran across the grass from each other in a game calling each other witch. Great, everything Reverend Cotton was saying stuck like gum under your shoe. There was no way to get rid of it! It was everywhere! This _witch panic_.

I thought that by now I'd find a way back home by now, but in reality, I have absolutely no clue how to get back home. There's no DeLorean to drive at 88 miles per hour anywhere. Remembering back to the party, there was something going on with Chad and Tina and Mike and she was screaming something to me. Then Nicki and Rebecca. Something happened. It was the cause of all of this. I saw mom, I know I saw her before I went into the woods. Tina followed me and she was on the ground, fighting, someone and it all happened so fast. Then there was the gun. Oh fuck, the gun. Maybe tonight should be the night that I finally run away from this fucking crazy place. It makes me sick thinking about all the people hanging from the trees.

The children trotted and sang in a circle singing songs like children always should but it gave me creeps hearing Ring Around the Rosie with a little girl wearing a disturbing mask. By now, I knew I was officially done with this crazy town. Too many smelly people worrying about witches and devils and fearing anything that walked in the woods. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and I pushed my bag beneath my desk with a foot and sat in my chair behind my desk.

" _Shit. Fuck. Goddamn it_ …. Ahem, come in!" I replied pretending to look busy with a stack of documents.

Slowly opening the door, my guest, John Alden came in.

 _Great_ , I rolled my eyes.

"Good evening."

"Is it?" I replied crossing my legs and arms. "What do you want? Come back to be an asshole again?"

John smirked, taking that insult with as much grace as he could, took a seat.

"No, I just want to explain myself, if you'd let me speak of course."

"Fine."

"When I was younger, perhaps around your age, I've met young girls, fresh girls too gullible and too innocent to know how strongly naïve they are." John spoke looking to the floor, then to me. His eyes showed honesty. "Young girls who were too frightened to speak a word out of line against a man or even their brother. It was something all girls grow to become."

My eyes widened," What are you saying?" My temper rising.

A small part of him secretly took pleasure watching the fire rise within her eyes, the way her face seemed to become beautiful while rebellious against him, but John resisted baiting her too much or else she'd detest him even more than she already did. He wanted to continue to tell her that he often enjoyed those girls in his youth, breaking young maidens before he met Mary, since he was no saint. Not even close.

"I am saying you are not one of those girls," he met my challenging gaze, and my shoulders relaxed. "Truthfully, I do not know what kind of girl you are."

 _That didn't sound too good_. I gulped.

"I'm just normal, like everyone else…Simple." I responded too fast, hoping he would drop the subject.

"Simple? Normal isn't the right word for you, not even close," he seemed to tease. If I hadn't known any better I would think he was being playful. "I was hoping you would give me the honor of… _walking_ with me tonight."

"A walk? With you?" I wanted to laugh, instead I scoffed at the idea.

"Unless you have other plans of dazzling the men here in Salem with your… peculiar charm and hysteria. If you do, I'll let you have that pleasure."

Peculiar? Hysteria? All of that sounded that a big red flag. I'm supposed to be blending in! Not singled out. I rose from my chair and straightened out my skirt—dress—garb or whatever the fuck they call it and left out the door. First. John followed behind close to me until we were both walking alongside the houses of the neighbors. I looked at the people and attempted to give a friendly smile, but instead, they all glared like they were looking at a clown. A sad, sad clown. Maybe John wasn't teasing and being a dick to me after all. John shrugged his jerkin off his shoulders, leading me to the outer parts of town. It would be nice to get away everyone right now. These people were thinking I was a freak, an outcast, a black sheep or _piranha_ or whatever you call a social weirdo. Maybe John was secretly doing me a favor.

"So, Anne tells me you're from the North."

"A part of it, yes." I lied.

"Why did you run away?"

"Run away?"

"Yes."

"What makes you think I ran away?"

John narrowed his eyes," No one leaves a city for a place… like this. A fool, maybe. You must've been running away from something or to something."

We walked towards the water, towards the sandy shores, looking out into the broad ocean that dipped into the blue sky like a single canvas of color. The tree branches hung so low we were almost darkened in a private room hung with leaf draperies, I saw hardly any light. Yet, John seemed perfectly at home. I watched John, catching him watching me, eyes still fixed on mine as steady as a coiled metal.

"Am I right?"

I bit my lip, "Well, your half right. I wasn't running away from something, I was trying to find my mom." I looked up at him, twirling my fingers together. "I thought she was trying to tell me something the last night that I saw her. I could've sworn I saw her go into the woods and she was trying to lead me somewhere."

"And then?"

"Then nothing. She wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere."

"You didn't find her in the woods?"

"No," I leaned against a tree facing him, crossing my arms against my chest. "Instead, I got lost in the woods and I fell asleep and you found me. I ended up here."

I lied, _so what_. I couldn't tell this caveman that I fell through a wormhole, he'd accuse me for being a witch or a crazy woman. I couldn't afford to tell the truth. Or be hanged as a witch. John approached the tree slowly closing the distance between us.

"Anne tells me you came here on the replacement of Ms. Bridgette Bishop at the orphanage due to the fact she was hanged not long ago. A tragedy for Anne, but justice for the people here. For being accused as a witch. That was a lie."

"Yes." I closed my eyes, realizing how awful it sounded when I heard it out loud. "I didn't mean to lie to Anne or to you. I just needed help and a place to stay until I can go back home and I don't know anyone here and no one will help me. If you were in my position—"

"You were frightened. Alone." He shook his head, taking a step towards the water and chucking a stone into the blue water, watching it ripple. "I understand fear can compel anyone to do anything. Especially for you, Miss Blackwood."

"Yes," I lowered my gaze, looking at him through my lashes. Feeling too ashamed to look him in the eye. "I lied. But that doesn't make me a bad person. That doesn't mean I'm not trying to do my job with those kids."

"I know…" he confirmed, shaking his head, no longer frowning. "I've noticed. The children have been… doing much better ever since you came. You don't give them a reason to fear anything when they wake in the morning. You make their world beautiful and full of hope. You're changing their lives."

He seemed to be pleased with the truth, my truth, out in the open, but something told me he wasn't done with me yet. It was hard to read his expression. The rustic smell of ocean salt filled my lungs and I turned to walk, breathlessly, trying to avoid his gaze. Studying me. Being under his judgment made me nauseous and dazed, like being interrogated in a detective tv show, knowing he'd follow. For a chilling moment, I thought he would go back to the town and tell everyone what I had done and that would be the end of it. I could be erased by fire in a few moments, hands tied behind my back, screaming for mercy. He could turn me in. Instead, John descended with me into the woods until the town was no longer in sight and he stopped to plucked a leaf from its branch.

"You see this? The color in this leaf is beginning to change. Soon it will become crisp and crumble with the mere movement of the wind."

"So?"

"So, we are approaching the harshness of winter, where Salem will be under the worst kind of obstacle and challenge than the challenge of witches and devils. If the cold will not kill you, the people here will. I've seen it. A good friend of mine… was taken to the trials and he was voted as a witch. They crushed him…" John twirled the small star leaf in between his finger and thumb taking my hand and opening my palm. A flash of that memory rushed through his head. "I will keep your secret safe. Before winter, I swear to you, you will be returned home before that winter is here."

John had even surprised himself. The promise he was making for her was binding, he knew, but it shook him of the enormity of what he was doing. But he had absolutely no desire to see another young innocent woman trapped in the invisible noose every man and woman had around her neck here in Salem. John watched her face contort from guilt to a budding glow of hope and she took the leaf and touched its sharp tips with her fingers.

"Thank you," she touched the leaf against her chin, looking at him through her lashes, and he guessed that she was too grateful to blush. Perhaps she had no more words to speak to him after his promise, his vow and he was surprisingly charmed by her silent gratefulness after she seemed to detest him hours before. _Be careful John, this is a man's daughter. She must belong to someone else_.

The sun had set completely when John and I ventured back to the town and he escorted me back to the orphanage house, like a gentleman does for a lady. I didn't know what to say to him. He acted as if he didn't want me to thank him. Instead, he trudged next to me as if the evening we spent together didn't change my attitude about him. When it did. Behind the macho bravado, he was a good man, sweet and compassionate. Only %10 of him wasn't an asshole after all. He may be the only man I liked in Salem, him and Anne. Speaking of which, I remembered she invited me to tea this evening. Without the company of her parents, she promised. She approached from the street toward me and the Captain.

 _To be a woman here in Salem is to be weak_ , I thought carefully. _I will not be weak_.

"Good evening, Captain Alden. Miss Blackwood." Anne approached smiling.

"Miss Hale..."

She smiled brightly at me," Are you still coming with me Miss Blackwood?"

"Yea," I smiled, looking at John. "Wouldn't miss it."

"Wonderful, now if you'll excuse us Captain, me and the new Headmistress must catch up on the day's events. There's so much to tell."

"I see and how long will that take?"

"Just a while might suffice, Captain Alden." Anne explained sending Evey a friendly glance. "We have an evening to discuss and plots to rule the world."

John looked at Evey Blackwood and from his point of view; she was lovely. Miss Evey Blackwood was a charming girl, full of secrets, but nevertheless charming in her own way. It was hard to separate these two girls, but Anne had taken a great liking to the new Headmistress. John knew that she was merely a guest here yet Anne believed she would stay forever. He would be doing Evey a kindness if Anne was going to spirit her away from him today. Raising his brows, tempted though he was by the idea of spending time alone with the pretty Evey just a while longer.

"Is that quite wise Anne?" he had queried. "The Headmistress is not easy to manage."

"Oh, I trust you not to sully her spirit, rather I encourage it," she smiled at Evey, taking her hand and stealing her away to her house.

"As you wish." John stepped aside to let Anne take Miss Blackwood's hand and disappear off to do female relaxations.

He was alone for the evening now. But not alone with his thoughts. In the time he had her all to himself, John truly believed that she was telling the truth. She may not be a native of Salem or a true resident of the North, yet she would make a very, very, very fine addition if she tried. But would that be possible? She was high in spirits, unsinkable, and spoke a free mind and unafraid of anything or anyone. Many people fear what they cannot understand. Still to this day, people often revered him to be an outsider of his hometown, casted as a shadow of the past, a decorated war hero. Yet, he continued to stay and fight for them. Tonight no one roamed the streets. He walked solely alone through the evening air until he approached the ship docked at the walkway. Tonight, Miss Blackwood was not only the main focus of his day. John turned to walk towards the pier waiting in the dark of the night. The Captain had some unfinished business with a ghost, a certain William Hooke.

 **Later That Night** :

Anne pressed an ear against her pillow sighing a dreamy sigh. The past few hours made it feel like I was at home with Tina gossiping about boys and rumors and laughing. Trying to keep quiet so her mother and father wouldn't wake up. It was no secret that she admired Captain John Alden in a way any girl would. Her expression every time she saw him was precious. It was cute. Anne had her door closed in fear her father or mother would come upon us with more questions and continue the dinner discussion we had. Anne thought not. She would rather keep me to herself.

"He's so handsome…" Anne spoke hugging her hands to her chest," Sometimes I believe he is too good to be true."

"He's a good man, better than some I know," I responded casting my gaze down at the leaf, twirling it in between my fingers. "I think he's the most original person here in town. He doesn't work for anyone but himself. Like, he's the ruler of his own destiny. I like that."

"We share the same mind for the mind of the Captain," she chuckled, rolling on her bed. "Who do you admire more? Reverend Mather or Alden?"

"Hard to say, I don't know Reverend Mather very well yet."

"Perhaps tomorrow you'll meet the good Reverend again. You're evening with the Captain is over, I presume," said Anne looking up at the ceiling. "And pray what is the result?"

"He's a jerk sometimes, but he can be sweet." I said, remembering what we said to each other the first time I began in the orphanage. He was so suspicious and aggressively demanding. "We began on the wrong foot, but I think we're ok now. We understand each other a little better. Me and him aren't so different after all."

"An arrow from cupid struck your heart!" Anne cried. "This is wholly unexpected. I had not an idea of it!" she teased.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!" I laughed, turning to her and laying on her bed. "We just talked and we walked together."

"I assure you Captain John Alden will have you marrying him by the end of spring!"

"I don't think so!" I laughed, shoving her shoulder. "He's a little too old for me, me thinks. But it's not like I didn't… _think about it_. A girl can dream."

"How is it possible such an idea has not entered and stayed your mind? He's strong, wise, and more wholesome than other men in this village. Handsome. A war hero with a good heart. I felt a little uneasy—a little dazzled being in his presence, because I knew that his conduct had not always been too farfetched and unorthodox. My father and mother knew of that; they only felt how improper it must be to have me be married to such a rugged man with a natural triumph of knowing the world more than us. That in my mother's mind, she is not prepared for such a step. She had known, it seems, she always wanted me to marry the Revered Mather."

"What?" I said in disbelief. "Bullshit! They can't force you to marry anyone."

She was encouraged by my statement, shocked by my language, but rather feeling her emotions grow, and nodded her head, "That is precisely what they want me to believe, yet, I reject the notion of every marrying out of love. If I do not love him then I shall not marry him."

"Go girl."

"My mother is a very wise and strong woman, believing in the muscle of tradition and social propriety to hold the hand of family in her palm like a stone, I aspire to be her one day and gain her strength and kindness. As my father is protective and oddly discerning with the welfare of the people of this town. I aspire to gain his motivation for a family of my own. But they're both… full of secrets and they do not ask me what I want."

"Of course."

"I have no reason I assure you," she casted a look towards me. "To not appreciate my bringing up. But, positively, I question everything. Especially these days when a ridiculous witch hunt is among us. This is precisely why the fish hook keeps drawing empty to the bait of witches, because there are none here. There is none to catch."

"I think we're going to be good friends Anne. You have a brain in this place!"

"Of course, we will!" she chimed. "We share a mind to speak our mind."

"I agree."

"Miss Blackwood—"

"Please call me Evey."

"Evey, we began the evening well, more well than I had expected, and you were my first choice to have a conversation tonight. Will you be my first choice in the morning?"

"Of course, we've been up for hours! My legs are getting stiff from sitting so much. I'll see you tomorrow morning ok?" I got up from her bed. She walked me to the front of her main door and saw me out. "We'll have brunch!"

"What is … _brunch_?" she tiled her head to the side.

"See me tomorrow and I'll tell you. I think you'll love it. Goodnight," I smiled back at her. She shut her door with a smile and I began my walk to my new humble abode.

I lifted my hood over my head to be sure I would blend in with the dark. Walking in the night was cold, crisp with frost, with little moonlight and most of all… creepy. It was eerie not being able to hear any cars or traffic here. I didn't realize how creepy it was to travel alone at night through the town. It was so dark. The only thing I could see was the shine of water reflecting against the ships. The clouds withdrew their curtain from against the moonlight and I could see my way. Walking on the street, I could hear someone talking. A voice… sounded familiar. I could also see a man standing in the darkness.

"We had deal, we were to never meet again."

I stepped slower, listening carefully, and a warning bell rang in my head.

"Leave her alone," a voice warned.

"Your charge would be treason and murder, you killed without mercy."

Every footfall I made was careful and precise as I stepped closer to hide behind a barrel. Murder? I peeked over and saw … John. My blood froze. It was Captain Alden. He was talking with a man holding a chest, a treasure chest? The expression on his face looked serious and my fear grew. Only a couple of hours ago John was talking to me about truth and going home. Now he was threatening a man with a knife? Shivers ran down my spine. How much did I really know about John? He was still a stranger, and I couldn't believe how stupid I had been to walk out with him in the woods where no one could hear or see us. He could've been stalking and preying on me, plotting to kill me. Maybe he did not turn me in, but he had the chance to murder me too. John approached the man holding his knife when he disarmed himself, slipping the knife back into his sheath on his belt. Oh, my fuck, Anne knew nothing about him as much as I didn't. In a flash, John gripped the man's neck with both hands, choking him mercilessly, collapsing on the ground, strangling him until the man could no longer move. His legs stopped kicking.

Then it was silent.

"Oh fuck, fuck, fuck…" I gasped, taking a step backward. "Fuck a duck."

He murdered him.

"Who's there?" a voice asked, footsteps thumping toward my direction. He's coming.

My knees turned to marshmallows and I ducked. _Please. Please. Please_. I shut my eyes feeling a hand grip the back of my shirt with a solid grip. Pulling me up from behind the barrels, John pulled back my hood.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I pulled away, gripping and clawing his hand away from me.

"Evey! Miss Blackwood, what are you doing here?" he demanded, looking in all directions shoving us into the shadow of a building. "What are you doing out here? You weren't supposed to see this."

"Get the fuck away from me!" I pushed him.

John watched the expression change on my face from horror to disbelief to distrust. I can't believe it! We were getting along just this afternoon and now he's… he's a…

"You're a murderer!" I whispered through my teeth.

"I had to." He begged, trying to meet my gaze. "Evey, look at me. Please let me explain my reason. When you understand, you'll know why I did what I had to do. He was a bad man who did terrible deeds during the war, he deserved his fate, Evey, he didn't deserve to live after what he had done."

"Don't touch me."

"He was going to turn me in. No one here can know about my past affair with Mrs. Sibley and they can never know. She and I will be ostracized if people knew the truth."

"I don't care. Don't talk to me." I stepped away from him, but he blocked my path. "Move! Get out of my way."

"You owe me!" he shouted. "You owe me the favor of keeping my secret and knowing my truth. Just as I know your truth and kept your secret today, in the woods, the day we shared."

My eyes widened and I wanted to tell him to fuck off.

"You are not who you say you are and neither am I. You've been lying to the people here ever since the day you arrived, living as the new Headmistress. I could have turned you in, for a number of reasons, but I didn't. Why is that?"

My panic slowed. John carefully approached me, taking caution, and I trembled, knowing that he was right. Right now, I could've been jailed or punished for lying to the people or even worse. Magistrate Hale would've owned my ass. John was my only hope of returning home. Without him I could be trapped here longer then I wanted to be. Or end up dead. He knew the woods better than anyone.

"Because… you and I are alike in some ways." He spoke taking a stance in front of me, trying to reach my gaze.

John's astonishment was beyond expression. _Damn this girl, damn her_. He stared, doubted, and was silent in front of her. This he considered fear, or sufficient compliancy which encouraged him, and the feeling of all that he felt for her. Not meeting her gaze, her attention, was wounding to him. He was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness towards young girls than of anything else, he did not want to break her delicacy, yet, he wanted her focused and looking at him.

Balls. At last, I calmed down as I felt myself breathe again, regaining my everything. Fuck, I've never seen a man killed before.

He succeeded in reducing my panic and he stepped closer," Come. Not out here. You will know everything inside."

Carefully, we both walked in deep intense silence into his house. I was …at his mercy and he was at mine. It was a delicate balance of truth and affliction. So, there was no choice but to spend time in each other's company, forced to be with each other in our circle of lies, and it was so unfair. Keeping the other's secrets. But who trusted who?

"Fine. But you don't have to," I sat at his table, across from him. Unable to look at him in the eye. "I know everything. About you and Mary Sibley shacking up in the woods and getting busy. It's a love story no one knows. But you fucked up. She fucked up. Now you two are farther apart then you ever were when you went to war and she stayed here. It's a complete mess. Did I guess, right?"

He rolled his eyes and chuckled," That Anne…"

"Am I right?" I looked at him, wiping a hand across my face. "I can imagine everything that happened between you two in a heartbeat. I've seen how Titanic ends. Romeo and Juliet. Twilight. Avatar. Deadpool. It sounds like you still love her but she doesn't love you. I mean, she's married to George Sibley now and you left for war and that created problems. That must suck."

"So, you know…"

"Yes," I nodded my head. "I knew your secret, your affair, before you knew mine. So, I owe you nothing. Goodnight." I went for the door.

He reached for my shoulder," I'm sorry Evey…"

Trembling I turned my head to him. "But why kill a man…"

I had to know. I still didn't want to believe John was a bad man, let alone a murderer. I didn't want it to be true.

He met my gaze," To protect my secret…"

"Another secret?"

"The selectmen will sentence me to death if they knew…"

"Know what?" I asked.

He lowered his gaze to the fireplace.

"That I…" he hesitated, pulling me to face him. He gulped," It was a long time ago, when I was living deep in the woods, when I was left for dead and… they killed so many. Those bastards killed them all and I couldn't just stand by and let…"

John growled. Words ran out. In spite of Evey's deeply-rooted dislike, she could not be insensible to his explanation, yet why was it so hard for him to talk to her. She tried however to hide all resentment, compose herself, and answer him with patience and understanding. He concluded with representing his history to her- when his door burst open with a panicked and hysteric Isaac standing in his house. A startled Evey turned to look at him with wide eyes.

John stood to face his friend.

"John! They're going to burn them! They're going to burn them as witches!"

"Who!?"

"The Barkers!" Isaac stepped forward to push John forward into the street.

"What's going on?" Evey asked him, clutching onto the doorway. John could see her panic.

The street, so quiet and empty not 10 minutes ago, was filled with people rushing out into the center of the town in packs colliding against each other in a hot panic. John demanded Evey stay inside, sparing her the horror he knew was outside, and followed Isaac close behind. The closer they drew near, the more dangerous it became, the more it dawned on him that something had gone terribly wrong with the Barkers and discovering Mrs. Trask dead within her home, sliced open like swine. Reverend Cotton Mather joined Magistrate Hale in witnessing the terrible act being performed.

John grabbed Cotton by the shoulders. "You let this happen!?"

"Not I."

Cotton spoke, smelling of whiskey, drunk, and turning to glance to the man standing in front of the bond fire. John looked to the man solely responsible for this monstrosity. The devil be damned, it was none other than Increase Mather Sr. standing among the court of selectmen garbed in black, suitable for the death of a family, lost to this mad witch hunt. The court lingered near the crowd watching the great Reverend Increase Mather step across the ground surrounding himself in their eyes approaching the fire growing hot and steadily beneath the doomed family. Cotton looked to John for his silent forgiveness before walking to his place near Gloriana, the tavern whore, nestled against each other. John watched the family crying, screaming, wailing out for mercy, but none answered to their panic and fear. His gaze casted over the people, cheering, happy for their death to approach and claim them tonight. His gaze was met with the gaze of Mary Sibley standing from her castle balcony in her crimson wife-garb next to her George Sibley, watching as another spectator. Cotton wasn't going to do a damn thing to stop this madness against his father.

"Reverend! They had no trial!" John pushed his way through to the front of the mob. "They had no trial!"

"Ah, John Alden," spoke the Reverend Mather holding a torch in his gloved grasp. He met his gaze with a steele-strong precision. "An honor Captain."

"Stop this madness!" John commanded, snatching the torch and shoving the staff into the dirt, snuffing out the flame. "You're out of your goddamn mind!"

Two men, hired by the Reverend himself no doubt, apprehended the good Captain and held him, struggling against their burly aggression while the Reverend shook his head in disappointment yet still had the victorious height of slaying his first victims in Salem tonight. The Captain may now know the threat of the devil's agent but he did, Increase knew better than anyone the plague of the black craft. The Reverend looked towards the doomed family, not in good character, but more to stamp the nail of their coffin further with the last words they would hear.

"To your ultimate judgment I send you, your fate awaits your arrival in the next world…" he approached them in the growing bond fire licking at their feet. He spoke loud and high enough to cover their panicking screams. They wriggling against the rope and post, feeling the fire grow in their circle, the Reverend turned on his heel, announcing to them and to the people of Salem. "Redemption. Clarity. A cure for the demon infecting your souls. Tonight, you are cleansed in fire!"

Inside the Alden house, it wasn't easy to sit still while I could hear so many screams coming from outside. What the fuck were they doing out there? It wasn't until I reached the scene going on in the center of the town that I realized what was going to happen next. They were going to set people on fire! I looked at everyone. Wasn't someone going to do something? I pushed myself to the front where I saw John being dragged away from the scene because he was trying to stop them. Being punched in the gut. A fist swiped across his face. They tossed him to the ground punching his head and he spat out blood.

"John!" I ran to him skidding to the ground," John what the hell's going on!?"

Blood dripped from his chin and he pointed to the family tied to the stake.

"He's…" he pointed to the elderly man wearing black, clearly responsible for the chaos tonight and he choked. "He's going to burn them…"

I helped him stand to his feet, his body going limp against mine. I looked to see a man wearing a black robe addressing the people of Salem.

"Let this fact be known! It is these cursed Barkers, these leeches, these agents of darkness, which prey on the mind and the soul of Salem. Weakening you to your very core! They draw you to them. Shut in a prison or not, they would draw you in, break through the wall to come to you. Sick in bed they would draw you up, stagger you to your feet and feast on your souls! No man knows until the time comes what depths of evil they behold underneath their sheep's clothing, beneath their false mortal flesh draws out your sins. Their toxic opium piques your minds with evil thoughts, pulling you closer to the devil! But the devil shall not win!" shouted the Reverend looking at the mob of angry people, presenting his accusation to the family. "I give you! …Resolution!"

He raised his gloved hand to the family tied to the stake only to see… water, a bucket filled with water raised and splashed on the fire. Great smoke leapt up and sizzled. Another spare bucket of water doused the flames beneath the family snuffing out the flames at their shoes saving them from death. Reverend Increase watched in shocking astonishment as I stepped over the hot sizzling coals and began releasing the family from the stake.

"What are you doing!? Harlot!" he cried, his pale face became furious. "Harlot, what is your name!"

 _Sorry to spit on your parade, old man_!

The Barker family had been saved. They stagger away from the stake while I casually joined John kneeling beside him again. My palms start to sweat and my knees turn into marshmallows and shake. My body wants to get out of here as far as possible. My heart pounds in my ears, making it impossible to listen to Increase insult and bark at me. He turned to the people to give another speech about the devil's work and witches and his promise to rid this town of every evil entity and temptation. He's a naturalist at giving loud speeches to mobs of people, igniting their movement and religious beliefs. He speaks to me last.

"The red harlot challenges me, a challenge she will receive."

Something smacks into my arm and it's John pushing me behind him. He stepped forward standing in front of the Reverend face to face, cutting the distance between me and him. John stares into his eyes, daring him to challenge. Then finally for the first time, I think to myself… _what have I done_?

"Get out of my way…" he demands in a dangerous tone.

John doesn't move.

"You'll have to kill me…"

It's an open invitation that seems to wiggle around in the Reverend's mind for a minute before his son runs from behind him.

"Father, please, this is madness!" Cotton comes from the angry mob to stand next to John, cutting between the two challenging men. "Can't you see?"

Reverend Increase Mather holds the Captains gaze for a moment longer before turning his attention to his son, as stern and cold as ever.

"You've indulged yourself in your juvenile curiosity for far too long, Cotton. Look at you. They are known as wasteful and curs throughout the years, yet you desire to spare you them you imbecile! They shall receive their trial immediately and if they are deemed to be innocent that the Lord shall seek their recompense either in flame or in court. You dare to instruct me? All on the account of a protesting fanatic… **red harlot**!" he pointed at me, his blue eyes fixed, glued, burning into mine.

And for the first time in my life, I feel like my future is undeniably doomed. His eyes are burning into mine so fiercely I could feel myself tremble beneath his piercing gaze unable to look away or utter a word. He was the most frightening man I've ever seen in my entire life. His threatening gaze was the most intimidating weapon he had. Turning me to stone. Shuddering I finally tear away from his gaze and hide behind John's shoulder grateful for his friendship. And his protection.

"They might be innocent!"

"Innocent?" questioned Reverend Increase glaring at Cotton like he was dirt. "Perhaps you've indulged yourself in other … _affairs_ as well. In my absence, maybe perhaps, this red harlot has sowed the deadly seeds of doubt into your mind as well? Do you not see, when hunting witches, far better a hundred innocents die than a single solitary witch walks free? Yes!"

 _Fuck you_ , I look at the ground, shutting my eyes.

"Consider your mistake, son. A very grave mistake."

This is his dad? The man named Cotton looked at his father like he just threw hot wax all over his pants. Anne told me about Increase Mather once when we were having tea. The world's most feared witch hunter of the century. Or something. Fuck I wasn't paying attention. I watched a TV show or movie about Van Helsing once with Tina but this guy made that guy look like a pussy. I was more of a Walking Dead fan myself. Increase seemed to despise the union and alliance between his son and John Alden before scowling, plotting a new tactical revenge against us three, and return at a more convenient time to frighten everybody into a stupor. Cotton went to rally the angry mob while John pushed me back into the Alden house, shutting the door, and demanded I wait here. To wait. Here. He repeated firmly before going out again.

John shut the door and my world was utterly silent. My body found support on the table as fear, disbelief, and grief grew in my mind.

I was free. I was out. I was alive. But… everyone, except John and Cotton, hated and loathed me for what I've done. It did not matter, nothing mattered—not even my aching, shivering, raging fear that the elder Reverend would come after me in my sleep, except to get out of this place forever. My stomach flipped, fuck, he was scary. John knocked before coming to my room—his room- sitting beside me.

"Are you alright?"

"I can't believe I did that… I'm so stupid. So stupid! So stupid! So stupid! He's going to kill me!" I shook my head running two hands through my hair. "Did you see what happened? I was just… I don't know what happened. I just reacted!"

The words are flying out of my mouth. I'm sweating too much. Calm down. Calm down.

"Do not confuse fearlessly deciding not to do anything with the notion of fearing to do nothing."

"He's going to come after me, isn't he? John I need to get out of here. You heard what he said."

"Evey, Miss Blackwood, consider what you've done as the start of a… new world."

"W-What?" I gulp, looking at him.

"You challenged him in front of the whole village. No one dares challenge the great witch hunter. You took a stand. People may not understand why you do not fear the authority of Senior Mather, but in time, they will stand with you when the time calls. I know for a fact your bravery is not made of female delicacy. I've… I've never seen a woman stand up to the great Increase Mather like that before."

"Is he going to kill me?"

"Lest you be a witch, then my answer would be yes. Or unless the old goat has the stupidity and ignorance of confusing a skulking witch with a strong-minded woman such as yourself, your future is undeniably doomed."

He was teasing me again. The jerk.

A smile tugged at my lips.

"Shut up… You're so stupid." I nudged him, earning a smile across his lips.

"But I promise you, Evey. You will be fine. Increase may be a lunatic but he won't have a reason to come after you. He's crazy but he's not without reason or logic in his …career."

 _That may change_. I smile nodding my head popping my knuckles.

"You don't know that. You don't know ….me. Things could get bad." The back of my neck tightens as I think of him.

"Come. I'll escort you back to the orphanage."

John was trying to help me avoid the cold black hole that was Salem. It was helping a little. Being a security blanket seemed to come natural to him. Like a knight in shining armor. But Increase was a whole different kind of dragon to slay. I watched carefully the expression on his face that he did seem to be worried, like knowing something terrible was going to happen and he was protecting me from the worst of it. How am I going to sleep? How am I going to get out of here? How am I going to survive this? How am I going to get home? What will the Reverend do next? I lay in my private room curled with the painful feeling of being preyed on in the worst way, being hunted, being hated, being watched. Not knowing a ripple of time had changed with the flap of a butterfly's wing had coursed changing history as we know it.

 **In The Morning** :

The village had not stopped whispering about the burning last night. No doubt, Miss Blackwood was the most interesting woman here. But perhaps interesting isn't the right word for her. John tossed the nose of his axe into the stump wiping his hands together and gulping a bucket of water. He knew the Reverend would not let Miss Blackwood off that easily. As long as she would stay out of the Reverend's way then he would have no reason to harm her. Speaking of which- Miss Blackwood seemed to walk in an opium dream, rising along with the sun against the pink and yellow color of the awakening sky. John watched the young woman from across the courtyard. She walked across the street in her red cloak. John watched as Anne Hale encouragingly coached the young Headmistress about the laws of Salem and the different laws that existed that was Increase Mather.

"Do not be afraid, Evey. You have proven yourself to be most formidable even against the most formidable man here in Salem. At last, someone in this town with courage and boldness to speak against Increase Mather Senior! Someone bright enough with a strong tongue to speak to about this witch madness."

"He's going to kill me," Evey spoke biting her lip.

Anne placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder," Do not fear, Evey. Everything will be alright in the end. You are so brave. I cannot find the words to describe my happiness! Do you know how long we've been plagued by this silly conclusion that witches are ruling over Salem? Breathe or walk in the wrong and Senior Mather will send for his hounds and pitchforks to fetch you away!" she teased playfully.

John was delighted to see a smile bloom across Miss Blackwood's face. Perhaps Anne would be a suitable ally for her after all.

"Increase Mather…?" she tilted her head.

How is it possible she has never heard of the man? Anne shared her look of concern and takes her arm in hers, "You have never heard of him? Well that might make your life quite more fortunate than others. Oh, he's known far and wide for being the most respected and feared witch hunter in the old and new world. He's Cotton's father."

"He's a witch hunter? Like he hunts actual witches with spells and black cats?"

She nodded," Oh yes, the best and the most respected in our world and with Cotton's description of him I expected him to be made of scales and fire."

"That bad huh? Talk about daddy issues."

"Oh, you could ask Cotton whether to choose a life line in the middle of an ocean or sharing a safe boat with his father. You know he would chose the lurking sharks beneath in a heartbeat."

John approached the two girls, nodding his head in greeting.

"Good morning ladies."

"Morning."

"Good morning Captain Alden, would you like to join us for brunch?"

It was John's turn to raise a quizzical brow.

"What the hell is _brunch_?"

"You, John Alden, and I are in for a treat. Care to join us?"

It was Anne that caught his attention this time. He caught a blush heat upon her cheeks before turning her gaze to the ground. How odd. Either she was catching a substantial fever or she was affected by his mere presence. He would never understand women, especially the little women standing before him in their delightful 'brunch' optimism. John glanced at her before lifting his arm up for one of them to take it. It was Anne who accepted eagerly, too quickly for Evey to react. They walked through the edges of town pursuing the sunlight shining upon the trees and grass, a picnic in mind. Miss Blackwood lagged behind him and Anne seemingly happy with his escort.

Anne sighed, tilting her head against his shoulder, "It's a fine morning isn't Captain?"

Was it? A family almost burned to death last night.

"I should say."

"Pray how did you sleep?"

"Well enough. After the arrival of Reverend Mather Senior, one would think my dreams would be plagued too."

She laughed," Most agreeable. Don't you think so Evey?"

John perceived many women to hide their emotions as easily as hiding a needle in a pile of needles, yet Evey hid hers in an ocean of needles. He and Anne waited for a reply.

"Hmm? What? Oh, yea, sure. They go great in mustard."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. Sorry, I was thinking about something else."

It was Anne's turn to raise a quizzical brow. She sighed her hand sliding to his elbow in a gentle soft grip.

"Are you concerned?"

"It's just hard to forget. I've never seen anyone die before," Evey commented and John seemed skeptical of her statement. "I've never seen people burned at a stake before. He was about to do it. Like, _really_ do it. People just stared and didn't do anything… it's like they didn't have a choice."

"You are fortunate to have a choice," John spoke, looking at her with sympathetic eyes. In truth, he was proud of her for making a brave choice. "Sometimes the world can be cruel. Luckily its inhabitants might not be so cruel. The world changes every day. We decide every day whether we change, too."

Anne squeezed his arm. "It's admirable how you know so much of the world, Captain. What did you learn in your endeavors?"

He sighed shrugging his arm away from the little woman and sat on the grass, "I learned one cannot be so gullible as to believe we don't have a choice to change the world too."

Anne joined next to him on the ground, her dress billowing beneath her as she twirled a blade of grass around her fingers. The little red head seemed to be doing her best not to blush so much. John glimpsed back at Evey, watching the young girl step in some sort of dream fever, never taking her eyes off the grass and walking as idly as a doe. He had seen many fragile creatures before, but never one as enchanting as her. She still seemed troubled. John didn't understand her.

"Miss Blackwood? Evey…" John spoke earning her gaze, those spectacular blue eyes, encouraging him to continue in this warm consideration. He regained his breathe, "I just wanted you to know—"

" _Miss Evey Blackwood_?" a cool female voice cut John off, rendering him completely silent. A tremendous weight pressed on the cords of his heart. "The new Headmistress of the Orphanage. My, my, my, it is… _such_ … a pleasure to finally meet you. I can understand the rumors and the whispers. They all stand true before my eyes. She has an extraordinary face as she does heart, beautiful and radiant as the sunrise itself. Many have spoken of her beauty as figmental, a half-realized dream of beauty, molded by invention and loveliness. But now as I stand before you in plain sight, real and unmediated, light starlight, or the sun over a snow-covered land. You are lovelier than all of Salem's maidens," the tall darkly dressed woman stood in the morning light with her hands folded in front of her, regarding her calmly with a smile spread across her lovely lips. "I am Mary Sibley."

John expected Mary Sibley to appear in twilight as she does regularly, yet, here she was revealing her phenomenal rank to the early world. John looked and looked at her.

Mary Sibley.

His Mary.

 _Was_ his Mary.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sibley," Anne bowed her head in respect.

John hesitated to gaze upon her a bit longer, before nodding his head. " _Mrs. Sibley_." He addressed never leaving her gaze.

" _Captain_." Her gaze never leaving his.

Miss Blackwood on the other hand didn't seem fazed the least, crossing her arms over her chest politely regarding the most powerful and richest woman in the country. Mary Sibley stood looking at her with the most extraordinary unblinking stare that he had ever seen. Her dark, fathomless eyes revealed nothing of herself, seeming instead like perfect mechanical features.

"Nice to meet you. You can call me Evey."

"A pleasure," she approached reaching out a gloved hand. "You may call me Mary or Mrs. Sibley…"

Evey smiled," Nice to meet you." She took her hand feeling the crushing grip, her hand was small yet firm.

"As a citizen of Salem, I wanted to comment you on your… _boldness_ … last night."

"Oh, thanks…"

Mary gazed, studied, preyed upon the little young blonde creature before carefully detaching Evey Blackwood from company of Anne and John, placing a hand on her shoulder, creating their own bubble of conversation. Mary Sibley looked at this young blonde girl. There had been many winters that had threatened the survival of many souls across the country, yet, this winter did not only bring the cold and bitterness this year. It brought _her_ , this bringer of change. This carrier of hope and overwhelming strangeness. She was all hers for now.

"Taking a stand against Senior Mather, of course, was quite a …change. It has never been done before, not even by our kings and queens would question his work in hunting witches in the Old World and the New World. What possessed you? A step backwards in our fight for evolution against the witch hunt. Now… the Barkers _live_. People now say you are the enemy of Salem now."

"People are really quick to judge here in town and maybe that needs to change, too. The Barkers got a second chance. Or else it was going to be murder," Evey shivered at the idea of watching a family burn to death. "John and I wouldn't let that happen."

"Quite an uproar, isn't she?" Mary looked down at the Captain stoic, blank, emotionless yet seemed to penetrate his mind with one of her tricks. Mary returned to her composure. "My dear, it was not a _compliment_ I deliver to you. But merely a… comment. There's a fine line between logic and madness, yet you seemed to choose an option between the two. Kicking hornet's nests seems to suit your behavior and to see such… recklessness in a body so young makes me question how on earth you were ever elected as the Headmistress of the Orphanage."

"I don't think saving people's lives is dangerous."

"Not against them. Against you. All the chips lay before you and now the game has begun. You're a walking target my dear. Have you not heard the stories of the mighty Senior Mather? His stories are told far and wide. Notorious for his talents and methods of persuasion."

"You mean torture? You believe torture is the best way?" Evey asked, eyes widening. "Torture and killing are two different subjects. Last night everyone just stood there and-" she regained her breathe. "He was going to kill them. People deserve second chances. They don't need to see a hopeless means to an end. That brings panic and hate. Increase doesn't know the difference between death and forgiveness."

"Increase possesses two natures. One fights the other in a battle within the field of his morals and humanity. More often than not, we see the beast within him more than the other. The man you saw last night was merely looking into a key hole compared to his ruthless methods. Now you are marked. Increase won't stop."

"Well neither will I."

"Increase Mather will not so easily be swayed by one act of reckless behavior!" Mary snapped too hastily, pinching her fingers together in a lock. Biting her lip, regaining her confidence, she smiled petting the young girls cheek. "True freedom has a price, my dear. Our freedom and way of life must be paid with sacrifices. You'll learn that someday."

"Are you saying all of this to protect me or…scare me away?"

"A warning, my dear. You toy with the higher forces of Salem. You have no reason to do any more than your duty as Headmistress," Mary linked her arm with mine, her perfume wafting in my face. Her dress swishing across the pine needles as she reunited me with Anne and John. "What reason did you have to stop Increase?"

I unlinked from her arm, looking towards the village houses, thinking of Increase Mather. How wrong he is.

Witches don't exist.

"The same reason for the Barkers. Mrs. Bishop was hanged because of Salem's law against witches. She didn't have a choice or help from anyone. But the Barkers did. The only difference then from now- is me. The children needed someone to look after them after what the town had done to their Headmistress. It's all coincidental."

Mary stared at her.

Evey stared back at her.

John could've tracked the minutes into the dirt with a stick. They were looking at each other for so long. More like _sizing up_.

"Clearly." Mary stretched a smile across her face, adopting the gentle voice she was meant to be cultivating. "As a fellow citizen of Salem, I want to officially welcome you to Salem as our Headmistress. Perhaps your stand for change and justice will provoke this town… for the better. As you have said—people need a second chance. They are…alive, which is good. Perhaps in the future not one soul more will be victim to the witch hunt, and for that, I give you my blessing." The elegant woman placed a reassuring hand on the small of Evey's back and began regrouping the trio together again where Anne and John just sat and watched the two women.

"If there is anything you ever need, you need not go far, Evey. My door and home is always open."

Mary bowed her head to Anne and John once more before pulling her hood over her head, framing her pale beautiful face in her elegant garb. Mary slowly turned to face Evey. She took both her hands in her own pulling her into a warm soft embrace like a mother to a daughter.

"Let your words and thoughts be your sword and shield, Evey, Increase is a formidable dragon…"

 **Later That Day** :

"That will be all. Don't forget you have your assignments due tomorrow because we'll be moving on in our lesson. Tomorrow we will move to spelling and words." Evey spoke over the whole class wiping her hands on her apron. She stepped away from the wall. One side of the orphanage house was completely painted white from the floor to the ceiling. A request she asked of him before the noon class began. Long lettered words were written in sections, both in print and cursive. Quite an accomplishment for such a young lady. The children swarmed to their individual beds pressed together in one room. They gathered their blankets to nestle in for the night.

"Don't forget to lock up the doors and put all your items under your bed. We don't want anything to end up lost," she helped two brothers into their beds.

"Miss! Miss!" a little girl came to her, tugging on her apron. "Can I have biscuits? Before I go to bed?"

"No not tonight. You can have biscuits for breakfast tomorrow."

"Yay!" the little girl, Sara, squealed with her fists up in the air.

John tilted his head," My, my, my aren't you a tad sweet."

"What?"

"Biscuits for breakfast? Why don't you add sugar and jam and sweet treats to their milk as well?"

She grinned. "Aren't biscuits bread?"

"Cookies, Miss Blackwood. They're cookies."

"Oh…" Evey looked at the little girl. She kneeled down to her bed. "No cookies tonight. Go to sleep. You can have biscuits with gravy for breakfast tomorrow morning."

John wanted to laugh. "Biscuits with gravy?"

"Where I come from my mom and dad would eat biscuits with gravy and waffles almost every morning. It was their thing. I usually enjoyed pancakes in the morning."

"Pancakes? Waffles?" John grinned, what a strange household she grew up in. Although he wouldn't mind a steaming hot bowl of badger soup in the morning with the bones.

He lifted the ax placing the head and the handle on the hilts bolted into the wall. Shrugging off his jerkin he sat in a chair across from her desk, wiping sweat from his brow. She threw the sticks of black coal back into the fire pit to clean up in her wash bowl. She leaned over dipping her hands into the water, lathering the suds across her tan skin. The water becoming black she pressed a cloth into her face, gasping at the cool air refreshing her skin, her face glistening in the light of the fireplace. The water droplets running down her face and bosom into the valley between her voluptuous breasts, those divine breasts, drove him mad. Truth be told, he wouldn't mind waking up to any breakfast meal with her. Biscuits and badgers and bones and all.

"Again tomorrow?"

John froze, "Hm?"

"I'll see you again tomorrow?" she placed the rag on her forehead.

"Yes. Yes," he stood from his chair. Clearing his throat, unable to make eye contact with her. "Goodnight, Miss Blackwood."

He closed her office door behind him. Exiting her establishment tore something within him. Like entering the cold world once more after leaving her warm welcoming sweet one. The feeling wasn't right to him. Stopping to confirm his own shame, he glanced up to her window glowing yellow from the house and admitted to being lost and worried for his own soul. He was already deep in shit. Nothing but shit. What guidance should he call upon to direct his torn tortured lustful body? Isaac? Cotton? Increase? God? Perhaps not. Maybe seek direction from within? If he called upon himself to answer his own questions. The only answer would be hell yes. Yes to Evey Blackwood, yes to belonging to her, yes to being possessed, yes to falling in love again. It was too soon to even think it was love yet. Infatuation? Maybe. John stopped in his tracks to turn and set his sights upon that single window. She was still there. Awake in her bed. Now. John remembers the battle field, wrenching with the stench of death, covered in gruesome black gun powder, and all the horrors a man should never face. John faced the battlefield with no fear, charging in the ranks with his men, coiled for the deathblow. Yet facing Evey terrified him.

"Oh what the hell!" John cursed out loud returned back to the Orphanage.

Meanwhile, while the pigs slept and the sheep cuddled together, I was trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do about the bathroom situation. Did they really use bowls under the bed? Or a hole outside? Where was I supposed to go? And what about toilet paper? Fuck. Some answers will never be answered. Loud footsteps banged outside my office door and I jumped to my feet. Was it all in my head? I stopped dead in my tracks to listen carefully. One of the kids? I sucked in my breathe and was about ready to kick some ass-. Until someone knocked—banged hard on my door. Was it Increase? My heart twisted around the world.

"Who is it?" my voice demanded shakily, while my hand unconsciously grabbed a hold of the fire poker.

"Miss Blackwood, it's me…"

I gasped," Oh John, you scared the hell out of me!" I opened the door.

He stood there like he just shit out a brick.

"What's wrong?"

John entered my room, brushing past my shoulder, and stood in the middle smoothening his hand over his hair. I crossed my hands over my chest covering myself up. It was the first time he was standing in my bedroom and not the office. The office was a place where we worked and talked about the kids. But my bedroom made it more personal. More close.

"John, what's wrong?" I asked again, expecting a damn good explanation. "It's late, John."

"You are a good girl—woman," he caught himself tripping over his words. "I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled here in Salem. I have no doubt you're doing very well by yourself. Your temper is, by no means, unlike mine…"

"What?"

 _Was he apologizing_?

"You are very complying, kind, generous and that nothing will ever be so…difficult for you again, I hope. Or even perhaps become the slightest bit complicated tomorrow or the next few days you are here. Or… perhaps even tonight. Tonight could possibly make your stay here in Salem, quite less, miserable…"

 _What is he talking about_?

"You misunderstand me," said Captain Alden, turning to me on his heel. "You are only headstrong in such matters with the Reverend and his ways, but you are a good-natured girl. You speak your mind, fearless against authority, reckless with your own beliefs. You're, in my own shock and disbelief, wonderful and pleasant. So here's what I'm trying to say… I am going directly to Magistrate Hale's house tonight." John began tugging on a hair from his chin, tugging it around his fingers. "I have come here for you… on an affair of importance. I understand that you're a busy woman and…"

 _And_? I raised my eyebrows.

"Upon my word," he said putting his hands up. "You can give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person that you wouldn't want to agree to, perhaps—"

"Yes."

That paralyzed him, stopping in his tracks, shifting his gaze to mine," Y-Yes?"

John wanted to be certain he wasn't dreaming nor under some cruel hoax. He gazed deeply into my eyes expecting me to laugh or kick him in the balls. His composure seemed to relax.

"You're asking me to go with you to the party tonight, right?" I smiled, biting my lip. The light of the fire highlighting his face and he seemed relieved. I stepped closer, "I'll go with you. Just let me get ready."

(A/N): I know it's been so long! But here it is! A super extra long chapter just for YOU Leave a comment! Favorite and stay tuned for more)


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